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Ml^iM 



Home Games 



BY 



George Hapgood, Esq. 

-.HOR OF '^Solitaire and Patience," &c. 



NEWEST AND BEST WAYS 
OF AMUSING A COMPANY 
WITH GAMES OF CARDS, 
PENCIL, CHARADES, GAMES 
OF ACTION AND THOUGHT 



Philadelphia 
The Penn Publishing Company 

1911 



.K 



AV 



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A^'x^^ 



Copyright 1911 by The Penn Publishing Company 



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(g.CI.A289470 





Contents 




Games for 


Younger Children 




Blind Man's BufF . 


, 


* . . . 


24 


Button, Button 


, 


. . . 


84 


Cobbler, The 


, 


... 


13 


Duck Under Water 






99 


Fox, The . 




. 


166 


Guess My Business 






"S 


How Oats and Beans 


and 


Barley Grow . 


95 


Hunter, The 


, 


• . * . 


III 


Jack Frost . 


. 


. 


153 


Lemon Pig, The . 


. 




181 


London Bridge 


. 


• • 


94 


Look and Listen . 


, 


.... 


87 


Magic Bridge, The 


. 


. 


165 


Nuts in May 




. 


29 


Picking Flowers . 




. 


163 


Puss in the Corner 


. 


.... 


23 


Shakers, The 


, 




155 


"Tit-tat-to," or Three in 


a Row . 


179 


Trapper, The 




. 


12 


Blindfolding Games 




Bell Sheep, The . 


. 


. 


. 26 


Blindman's Bell . 








. 138 


Blind Man's Buff 


. 






24 


Blind Man's Wand 








32 


Blowing Out the Car 


die 






. 26 


Boston 


. 






31 


Game of the Blind Postman, The 




. 114 


Old Blind Jack . 


• 


3 




136 



CONTENTS 



Snapping Turtle, The 
Tailing the Donkey 



Actio7i Games 



Blind Man's BufF 
Cat and Mouse . 
Caterpillar, The . 
Chase the Whistle 
Cobbler, The 
Fox, The . 
Going A- Fishing . 
Hop-Over . 
Hunt the Thimble 
Industry 
Jack Frost . 
Magic Bridge, The 
Mournful Numbers 
Mulberry Bush, The 
Oranges and Lemons 
Pantomimes 
Potato Race, The 
Putting Out the Fire 
Snapping Turtle, The 
Tailing the Donkey 
Tissue- Paper Race, The 
Twirling the Platter 



Picnic Games 

Drop the Handkerchief 
Flower Game for May Party 
Hide and Seek 
Nuts in May 
Potato Race, The 
Putting Out the Fire 



CONTENTS 






5 


Catch Games 


Chitterbob ........ 40 


Eccentric Cook, The . 








. 78 


Flower Merchant, The 








. 127 


Going to Jerusalem 








• 41 


Horned Ambassador, The 








- 130 


Malaga Raisins 








. 124 


Mouse in Master's Barn, The 








. 124 


Old Soldier, The 








• "7 


Priest of the Parish, The 








• 35 


Trades .... 








. . 38 


Gttessing Games 


Acting Initials 67 


Adjectives . 










• 31 


Chorus, The 










■ 65 


CofFee-Pot, The . 










. 66 


Description 










• 73 


Draw Your Partner 










. 88 


Eye-Reading 










. 68 


Five Scents, The 










■ 73 


Magic Music 










33 


Portrait Gallery, The . 










. 148 


Games Requiring Cards 


Commerce . . . . . . . .1.^5 


Happy Families . 








172 


Hinkum-Pinkum Featherduster 








'74 


Illustrated Proverbs 








lOI 


Match and Catch 








106 


Mixed Pickles . . . , 








102 


Old Maid's Birthday, The . 








55 


Old Maid or Old Bachelor . 








54 


Pig . ... 


. 








S3 



6 



CONTENTS 



Pumblechook 
Ranter-Go-Round 
Snap .... 
Sovereigns of England, The 



Games Reqn 
Buried Names 
Character 
Chopped Poetry . 
Cipher Telegram, The 
Composite Stories 
Definitions . 
Description 
Draw Your Partner 
Dressmaker's Game, Th^ 
Five Dots . 
Flower Game, The 
'' G '' Game, The 
Game of Guessage, The 
Game of Lists, The 
Game of Numbers, The 
Game of the Blind Postman, The 
Heads, Bodies, and Tails 
Letters and Telegrams . 
Number Guessing — Trick 2 
Pickled Portraits . 
Progressive Conversation 
Progressive Novelty Parrv, Th 
Rhyming Answers 
Riddles 

Shut- Eye Pictures 
Spelling Games 
Suggestion . 
** Tit-tat-to,'* or Three in a Row 



'dug Pencil and Paper 



109 

169 

SI 

107 



CONTENTS 



Transformation ..... 
Twisted Trees ..... 

Sexes of Equal Number 
Draw Your Partner 
Flower Game for May Party 
Game of One Syllable, The , 
Progressive Conversation 
Thimbles and Neckties 

Observation Games 
Blind Man's Wand 
Cat . 

Chorus, The 
Eye-Reading 
Five Scents, The 
Observation 

Pig . . 

Shadow Bluif 

Sing to Your Neighbor 

Snap 

Up Jenkins 

Requiring Strength and Skill 
Cock Fighting ...... 

London Bridge ...... 

Tricks 
Barnyard Chorus, The . 
Button Contest, The . 
Game of '* It," The . 
He Can Do Little Who Can't Do .This 
Lump of Sugar and the Magic Hats 
Number Guessing — Trick i . 
Number Guessing — Trick 2 
Thought- Reading Tricks 



133 

140 



CONTENTS 



Involving Thought and Memory 



Broken Quotations 

Buried Names 

Charades 

Chopped Poetry . 

CofFee-Pot 

Composite Stories 

Evasion 

" G " Game, The 

Game of Numbers, The 

Garden Conversation 

Happy Families . 

Illustrated Proverbs 

Loquacity . 

Mournful Numbers 

Nonsense . 

Number Guessing — Trick i 

Old Maid's Birthday, The 

Pantomimes 

Rhyming Answ^ers 

Riddles 

Sovereigns of England, The 

Spelling Games . 

Thoughts . 

Transformation . 



Acting Initials 
Anti-Slang Party, An 
Charades . 
Chopped Poetry . 
CofFee-Pot . 
Definitions . 
Game of Guessing, The 



Instructive Games 



CONTENTS 






9 


How Old Are You ? 140 


Illustrated Proverbs 








lOI 


Mind Your G's and T's 








62 


Modeling .... 








152 


Number Guessing — Trick I . 








71 


Number Guessing — Trick 2 . 








72 


Tipsy Letters 








11 


Suggestion .... 








63 


Prise Games 


Blowing Bubbles . . . . . .91 


Broken Quotations 








167 


Chopped Poetry . 








116 


Draw Your Partner 








. 88 


Flower Questions 








. 144 


Harpooning Peanuts 








158 


Laughing Philosopher, The . 








. 129 


Loquacity . . 








. 142 


Modeling .... 








. 152 


Old Blind Jack . 








. 136 


Portrait Gallery, The . 








. 148 


Progressive Novelty Party, The 








. 151 


Thimbles and Neckties 








. 150 


Miscellaneous 


Across the Way . . . . . . .33 


At Cross Purposes 






. 128 


Bell and Hammer 






. 103 


Blowing Bubbles .... 






. 91 


Change Seats, the King Has Come 






98 


Clapping and Hissing . 






18 


Evasion ..... 






. 126 


Feather Up .... 






. 36 


Ferocious '^ What-You-May-Call," The 




. 179 


Five Dots .... 








. 44 



10 CONTENTS 






Fly Away ........ 37 


Following the Fashion . 






. 83 


Gossip ..... 






• 34 


Holding the Handkerchief . 






112 


Hant the Letter .... 






• 139 


Hunt the Slipper 






16 


Mismated Music 






. 78 


Ranter-Go-Round 






169 


Stage Coach, The 






. 120 


Table Football . 






15 


Topsy-Turvy Concert, The . 






. 74 


Wild Beast Shows The 






. 123 


Games Involving Forfeits 


Anti-Slang Party, An . . . . . .159 


"BuiFSays BafF" 






. 81 


Cat and Mouse . 






97 


Duck Under Water 






99 


Eccentric Cook, The 






. 78 


Evasion 






. 126 


Flour Merchant, The 






. 127 


Forfeits, and How to Dispose of Them 




. 183-199 


Game of the Blind Postman, The . 




. 114 


Game of One Syllable, The . 




121 


Game of Silence, The . 




. 161 


Gardener, The .... 




. 100 


Grand Mufti, The 




39 


Harpooning Peanuts 




. . 158 


He Can Do Little Who Can't Do This 




79 


Horned Ambassador, The 




. 130 


Hunter, The .... 




. II I 


Malaga Raisins .... 




. 124 


Mouse in Master's Barn, The 




. 124 


Sportsman, The .... 




. 132 


Thimbles and Neckties 


. 


• 




. 150 



Home Games 



LETTERS AND TELEGEAMS 

The point of this game is that no writer knows 
what has already been written by the preceding 
players, so that the correspondence is likely to 
be amusingly disconnected. It begins with the 
letter. The first thing to write is the address and 

"My dear ," choosing whomever you like, 

but usually either a public person or some one 
known, if possible, to every one present. The 
paper is then folded over and passed on. The 
next thing to write is the letter itself, which 
should be limited to two minutes or some short 
period, and should be the kind of letter that re- 
quires a reply. The paper is folded and passed 
on again, and the subscription, " Believe me yours 
sincerely," or whatever adverb you choose, and 
the signature are then added. The signature 
should be that of another public person, or friend, 
relation or acquaintance of the family. The paper 

11 



12 HOME GAMES 

is then folded again and passed on for a reply. 
The reply is in the form of a ten word telegram. 
It need have neither address nor signature. The 
result may be something like this : 

First player wrote : My dear Caruso. 

Second player wrote : How can one tell the 
difference between blue and green in a dark room ? 

Third player wrote : As ever, your abject 
servant. 

Fourth player wrote : Fagan. 

To which the telegram replies : 

Don't lose hope. You're probably right. Try 
again. 



THE TEAPPEE 

This game is exceedingly simple, but gives 
much amusement to young children. Each per- 
son is given the name of an animal, and a circle is 
formed with a person in the middle, who is " it " ; 
he calls the name of an animal three times, and 
if the player having that name does not respond 
by saying the name once, he or she becomes "it." 

The amusement grows out of the varying 
length, and diflficulty of pronouncing such names 
as cat, hippopotamus, dog, elephant, and so forth. 



HOME GAMES 13 



THE COBBLEE 

An amusing game for small children. The 
cobbler sits on a hassock in the middle of a ring 
of players who join hands and dance around him. 
On no account must they let go of hands. The 
cobbler announces, " Now is the time to try on 
your shoes," and immediately — but without leav- 
ing his seat — makes a dash for somebody's feet. 
The players in the ring endeavor by dancing back 
and forth and from side to side and by circling 
quickly around, to avoid being caaght. The first 
one caught becomes the cobbler. 



SING TO YOUE NEIGHBOE 

The players divide as in " Clapping and hiss- 
ing," but the players who occupy the chairs are 
blindfolded. When all are ready the remaining 
players quietly seat themselves in the vacant 
chairs and, at an agreed signal, begin to sing. 
They may sing in chorus, or each his own song, 
with or without piano accompaniment. By try- 
ing the several methods successively the players 
can select that which seems best adapted to their 



14 



HOME GAMES 



own use. The object of the blind players is to 
find out, entirely by the use of the ear, who it is 
that is seated on their right. Those that guess 
correctly are unbandaged, and their places are 
taken by the players whose names they guessed. 
The others continue blindfolded until they guess 
rightly. One guess only is allowed each time. 



THE CATERPILLAE 

All but one of the players are seated in a circle, 
the chairs facing inward. One chair 'is vacant. 
The single unseated player stands within the cir- 
cle. The standing player attempts to occupy the 
vacant chair and the other players continually 
interfere by moving from one chair to another so 
that the locality of the vacant chair is always 
shifting, now being on one side of the circle and 
now on the other. It is a veritable " Will-o'-the- 
Wisp." 



THE SNAPPING TUETLE 

An apple is hung from a string in the middle 
of the room about the height of the blind man's 
head. The blind man's hands are then tied, or he 



HOME GAMES 15 

holds them strictly behind him, and he has to bite 
the apple. 

The same game can be played without blind- 
folding, but in that case it requires two players 
with their hands fixed behind them, each trying 
to bite the apple. It is a favorite game for 
Hallow-e'en, and an exceedingly interesting per- 
formance for the spectators. 



TABLE FOOTBALL 

This is played by any number that the table 
will accommodate. An egg from which the con- 
tents have been blown is placed in the center of 
the table, and a few inches from each end and 
about ten inches apart two salt cellars are put to 
act as goal-posts. A captain for each side is 
chosen, and they in turn choose sides from the 
company. The opposing sides then seat them- 
selves at the table alternately, that is, so that no 
two of the same side are sitting next each other. 
The two captains occupy the end seats and act as 
goal keepers at their respective goals. The object 
is to blow the football egg between the opponent 
goal-posts. Hands are not allowed above the 



16 HOME GAMES 

edge of the table nor is any player except the 
captain of either side allowed to rise from his 
seat. 



HUNT THE SLIPPER 

The players sit in a circle on the floor, with their 
knees a little gathered up. One stands in the 
middle with a slipper, and the game is begun by 
the handing by this one of the slipper to a player 
in the circle, with the remark : 



Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe, 
Get it done by half-past two, 



and then retiring from the circle for a few moments. 
The player to whom it was handed at once passes 
it on, so that when the owner of the slipper re- 
turns and demands her property again it cannot 
be found. With the hunt that then sets in the fun 
begins ; the object of every player in the circle 
being to keep the player in the middle from 
getting hold of the slipper as it rapidly travels 
under the knees of the players here and there in 
the circle. Now and then, if the seeker is badly 
mystiiied, the slipper may be tossed across the 



HOME GAMES 17 

circle. The player in whose possession it is when 
at last secured changes place with the one in the 
middle. Other handy things will do quite as well 
as a slipper, but something fairly large should be 
chosen, or discovery may take too long ; and it 
ought to be soft in texture, or there may be 
bruises. 



CHASE THE WHISTLE 

This is partly a trick. A player who does not 
know the game is put in the middle of the ring, 
round which a whistle is moving in the way that 
the slipper moves in " Hunt the Slipper." The 
object of the player in the middle is to discover 
the person who blew the whistle last. Meanwhile 
some one skilfully fixes another whistle on a 
string to the player's back, and, as opportunity 
offers, some one in the circle blows this whistle, to 
the bewilderment of the player in the ring. As it 
must always be behind him when it is blown, 
nothing but the twitching of the string is likely to 
help him to discover the blower (and the trick) ; 
and in a small circle where every one is moving 
and laughing it takes some time to notice the 
twitching at all. 



18 HOME GAMES 



CLAPPING AND HISSING 

This game is sometimes called " Clap In and 
Clap Out," but the present title seems more ac- 
curate. Half the players leave the room and the 
other half arrange the chairs in a row so that each 
person,when seated, has an empty chair on his right. 
Each then chooses aloud the absent player whom 
he wishes to occupy the vacant chair next his own. 
When this has been done one of the players is 
called into the room. He selects the chair which 
he thinks likely to have been reserved for himself 
and sits down. If he is right everybody claps, 
and if wrong everybody hisses. In the latter case 
he again goes from the room, but if he chose the 
proper chair, he remains and takes part in the 
game. One after another all of the outside players 
are called in. 



OEANGES AND LEMONS 

This time-honored game begins by two of the 
older or taller players — one being Oranges and 
the other Lemons — taking places opposite each 
other and joining their hands high, thus making 
an arch for the rest to pass under in a long line. 



HOME GAMES 19 

The procession then starts, each one holding the 
one in front by the coat or dress. As the pro- 
cession moves along, the two players forming the 
arch repeat or chant these lines : 

^^ Oranges and lemons,^' 
Say the bells of St. Clement^s. 
'^ You ovye me five farthiugs,'' 
Say the bells of St. Martin's. 
'^ When will you pay meV^ 
Say the bells of Old Bailey. 
'' When I grow rich,'' 
Say the bells of Shoreditch. 
^^ When will that be r' 
Say the bells of Stepney. 
*^I do not know,'' 
Says the great bell of Bow. 
Here comes a candle to light you to bed. 
And here comes a chopper to chop off the 
last man's head. 

With these final words the arch-players lower 
their arms and catch the head of the last of the 
procession. In order that the arrival of the end 
of the procession and the end of the verses shall 
come together, the last line can be lengthened 
like this : 

And here comes a chopper to chop off the 
last —last— last— last man's head. 



20 HOME GAMES 

The captured player is then asked in a whisper 
which he will be, oranges or lemons ? and if he 
says oranges, is placed accordingly behind that 
one of his capturers who is to have the oranges on 
his side. The procession and the rhyme begin 
again, and so on until all are caught and are 
ranged on their respective sides. Then a hand- 
kerchief is placed on the floor between the captains 
of the oranges and the lemons, and both sides pull, 
as in the " Tug of War," until one side is pulled 
over the handkerchief. 



TWIELING THE PLATTER 

A wooden bread-platter or a plate, to serve as 
trencher, is placed in the middle of the room. 
The players sit round it in a large circle, each 
choosing either a number by which to be known, 
or the name of a town. The game is begun by 
one player taking up the trencher, spinning it, 
calling out a number or town belonging to 
another, and hurrying back to his place. The one 
called has to spring up and reach the trencher 
before it falls, and, giving it a fresh spin, call some 
one else. So it goes on. On paper there seems to 



HOME GAMES 21 

be little in it, but in actual play the game is good 
on account of the difficulty of quite realizing that 
it is one's own borrowed name that has been 
called. 



GOING A-FISHING 

This amusing game, with very slight variations, 
is known under several names. Chairs are ar- 
ranged in two rows, back to back. An older per- 
son stands in front and tells a fishing story, bring- 
ing in the name of each person playing. Each 
person, when mentioned, must jump up and march 
around the chairs. After a while all the guests 
will be marching, each one holding the one in 
front. One chair is removed while this is going 
on, and when the story-teller calls out there is a 
" bite," the line breaks, all run for the seats, and 
the person left out must take his stand by the 
story-teller until the word ''bite" is called out 
again, when he can take his chances in the 
scramble for a chair. If the chair can be re- 
moved unobserved by the players, the sur- 
prise of the, first unfortunate will be the more 
amusing. 



22 



homp: games 



PEOGKESSIVE CONVERSATION 

An equal number of young men and maidens 
take part. The girls are seated and the men, but- 
terfly-like, flit from flower to flower. Each per- 
son is given a card containing a list of subjects, 
which should be discussed in the order in which 
they are given. Small colored pencils are at- 
tached to the cards by ribbons of the same shade, 
and the man and maiden holding matching colors 
are partners for the first conversation. At the 
touch of a bell by the hostess, the men seat them- 
selves and each pair in the room discusses the first 
subject mentioned on their cards. At the end of 
fifteen or twenty minutes the bell rings again, 
whereupon all the men rise, and, passing to the 
left, each one seats himself at the left side of the 
next young Avoman in the line and takes up the 
second subject on the list for their mutual consid- 
eration. When each couple have met and dis- 
cussed every topic, a secret ballot is cast as to 
which is the most interesting conversationalist — 
the ladies voting for tne gentlemen and the gen- 
tlemen for the ladies. The names ^.re printed or 
the handwriting is disguised ; the papers are 



HOME GAMES 23 

folded and thrown into a hat or basket. There 
should be a lady's prize and one for the men. 



TAILING THE DONKEY 

A good-sized donkey, minus a tail, is cut from 
brown paper or purchased at the toy store. This 
is fixed on the wall or a screen on one side of the 
room. The tail is cut separately, and a hat pin is 
thrust through the end which, in a state of na- 
ture, would be joined to the body. Each player 
in turn is blindfolded and armed with the tail 
and pin. He advances toward the donkey and 
pins the tail where he thinks it belongs. The fun 
lies in his mistakes as to locality. 



PUSS IN THE COENER 

This is one of those old and very simple games 
which seem to have a perennial hold on succeed- 
ing generations. Perhaps its popularity grows 
out of the fact that children and adults can join 
in it with apparently equal pleasure. All except 
one of the players takes some nook or corner of 



24 HOME GAMES 

the room. Puss stands in the middle. While 
puss is looking away some one of the players 
beckons to another to change places. This they 
attempt by running into each other's corner so 
quickly or slightly that puss is caught napping. 
Puss's object is to dash into one of the corners 
thus vacated before the runner can reach it. If 
she succeeds, the player who has just left it or the 
one who is just coming to it becomes puss. 
Which of the two runners becomes puss is de- 
termined easily according to whether or not 
they have passed each other before puss takes 
possession of the empty corner. 



BLIND MAN'S BUFF 

This is one of the best, oldest, and simplest of 
games. One player is blindfolded, is turned 
round two or three times to confuse his ideas as 
to his position in the room, and is then told to 
catch whom he can. If he catches some one, but 
fails to identify the captive, he must go on again 
as blind man ; but if he can tell who it is, that 
person is blindfolded instead. The excitement of 
the game may be increased by the blindfolding 



HOME GAMES 25 

two players instead of one. They will occasion- 
ally catch each other, much to their own confusion 
and general amusement. 



HUNT THE THIMBLE 

All players except one leave the room. This 
player hides the thimble, or other small object, 
selected for the purpose (a coin is often used), in 
some place in which it is in sight but difficult to 
discover. It may be high or low, on floor or 
table, or wherever the player may choose, so long 
as it is visible to the eye. The other players then 
return and begin the search. As each player 
finds the thimble he or she sits down without an- 
nouncing the discovery. It is better to keep up 
the search somewhat after the discovery, to avoid 
giving too much information to the other players. 
When all have been seated, or the time allowed 
for the search is up, the first one who sat 
down must get the thimble. If he shall have 
made a mistake the second to be seated must get 
the thimble. The person who gets it takes the 
next turn at hiding it. The game is not nearly 
so easy as it appears from description. One may 



26 HOME GAMES 

often be apparently gazing directly at the thimble 
without seeing it. 



BLOWING OUT THE CANDLE 

A very funny blind game. A candle is lighted 
and placed in position about the height of a per- 
son's head. A player is then placed a few feet 
from it, facing it, and, after being blindfolded 
and turned round three times, is told to take so 
many paces (however many it may be) and blow 
the candle out. The fun comes with the misdi- 
rected efforts of the blindfolded player. 



THE BELL SHEEP 

This is an amusing modification of Blind Man's 
Buff. All the players, except one, are blind- 
folded. A bell is so attached to the one free 
player that it will ring easily with every hasty 
movement of the wearer. The purpose of the 
game is to capture the Bell Sheep, who then 
changes places with his captor. It is advisable, 
before beginning the play, to remove all danger- 
ous furniture from the field of play. The players 



HOME GAMES 27 

are continually "getting mixed up with each 
other ^' to everybody's confusion and amusement. 



SHADOW BLUFF 

A sheet is stretched across the room. One 
player stands on one side, and the rest, who re- 
main on the other, pass one by one between the 
sheet and the candle which throws their shadows 
upon it. The aim of the single player is to put 
right names to the shadows on the sheet, and the 
aim of the others is, by performing antics, to keep 
him from recognizing them. If it is not con- 
venient to use both sides of a sheet, the single 
player may sit on a hassock close to it with his 
back to the other players, while they pass be- 
tween the hassock and the candle, thus throwing 
their shadows on the sheet. 



UP JENKINS 

The party divides as nearly as possible into two 
equal sides, sitting opposite to each other at a long 
table. Each side has a captain, the two captains 
sitting at the ends of the table. All players then 
place their hands open and palms down upon the 



28 HOME GAMES 

table before them. A coin — a quarter of a dollar 
is about the right size — is given to one side or 
other, and passed from one player to his neighbor 
by shuffling of hands without lifting them from 
the table. To prevent the other side from locat- 
ing the coin a general shuffling movement is kept 
up. The captain of the opposition suddenly says 
" Up Jenkins," whereupon all players close their 
hands and hold them well above the table. Upon 
the command from the oppor'ng captain " Down 
Jenkins," all must instantly slap their hands palm 
downward and open upon the table. The captain 
of the opposition then commands some one of the 
enemy to " Show up," whereupon the player in 
question must lift his hands. If the coin was un- 
der it, it passes to the other side to be shuffled 
and hidden in the same way. If the guess was 
not correct the coin remains Avith the original 
holders until lost under the rules of the game. 

The most amusing feature of the game is that 
no attention whatever must be paid to the or- 
ders of any player other than the captains, al- 
though all players are allowed to give commands 
— usually in the most emphatic tones — for the 
purpose of misleading the enemy. Nor must any 
attention be given even to the commands of the 



I 



HOME GAMES 29 



captains unless they are given in the exact lan- 
guage of the game. If, for example, any player 
either lifts or drops his hand when the opposite 
captain merely commands " Up " or '' Down " 
without having added the word "Jenkins," the 
coin is forfeited to the enemy. It is exceedingly 
difficult in the excitement of the game to avoid 
such slips. 



NUTS IN MAY 

An excellent picnic game. The players stand 
in two rows, facing each other and holding hands. 
A line is drawn on the carpet (or ground; between 
them. One row then step toward the other, 
singing : 

Here we come gathering nuts in May, nuts 

in May, nuts in May, 
Here we come gathering nuts in May, on a 

cold and frosty morning. 

They then fall back and the other row advance 
to them, singing in reply : 

Pray, who will you gather for nuts in May, 

nuts in May, nuts in May *? 
Pray, who will you gather for nuts in May, 

on a cold and frosty morning ? 



30 HOME GAMES 

The first row, after settling on the particular 
player on the opposite side that they want, reply 
thus: 



We'll gather Phyllis for nuts in May, nuts 

in May, nuts in May, 
We'll gather Phyllis for nuts in May, on a 

cold and frosty morning. 



The other row then ask : 



Pray, who will you send to fetch her away, 
fetch her away, fetch her away ? 

Pray, who will you send to fetch her away, 
on a cold and frosty morning *? 



The answer perhaps is : 

We're sending Arthur to fetch her away, 
fetch her away, fetch her away. 

We're sending Arthur to fetch her away, 
on a cold and frosty morning. 

Arthur then steps up to the line on one side and 
Phyllis on the other, and each tries to pull the 
other over it. The one that loses has to join the 
other row, and the singing begins again. 



HOME GAMES 31 



ADJECTIVES 

The company chooses one of its number as Grand 
Guesser and sends hhn or her out of the room. 
Each of those remaining selects an adjective 
capable of being enacted or indicated by speech or 
manner. The Guesser returns and asks questions 
in turn of those in the room. The person making 
answer must do so in such a way as to indicate 
the adjective which he or she has already chosen. 
For example ; the Guesser asks, " What day of the 
week is this ? " The person addressed attempts to 
answer by signs and gestures grotesquely resem- 
bling the deaf and dumb alphabet, the adjective 
indicated being ''Dumb." Or the answer may 
be so conspicuously ungrammatical as to indicate 
the adjective, " Ignorant." After the Guesser has 
succeeded in correctly guessing three of the adjec- 
tives, the office passes to another. 



BOSTON 

^' Boston " is a lively game. Seat the company 
around the room and give each a number. Blind- 
fold one person and station him in the center of 



32 HOME GAMES 



the room, whirling him aromid several times so 
that he may successfully " lose his bearings." He 
must then call any t^YO numbers included in the 
number of players and the two persons representing 
them must at once rise and change places. The 
blindfolded person endeavors to capture one of the 
fugitives during the flight and to identify the 
captive by means of height, corpulence, hair, etc. 
The person discovered in turn becomes "it." More 
than two numbers may be called out at once, and 
when the "• blind man " calls " Boston" every one 
changes place. He may, by slipping into a vacant 
seat during the confusion, find a substitute in the 
person left standing when all the chairs are oc- 
cupied. 



<i 



BLIND MAN'S WAND 

One player is blindfolded and the others sit 
about the room within convenient reach. The 
blind man has a stick which he thrusts about until 
he has touched one of the other players, who must 
then take hold of the stick and answer three 
questions put to him by the blind man. The 
object of the game is to enable the blind man 
to recognize the person whom he has tagged, 



HOME GAMES 33 

merely by the sound of the voice. The speaker, 
of course, disguises his or her voice as much as 
possible. Sometimes it is agreed that the blind 
man may require the holder of the stick to imitate 
some bird or animal instead of merely answering 
the questions. 



MAGIC MUSIC 

This is an exceedingly agreeable game, owing 
in part to the fact that it is played with music. 
One player leaves the room, and the others decide 
upon some simple and easy act which he shall 
perform when he returns. It may be straighten- 
ing a sofa cushion or standing upon a chair or 
taking a drink of water. He is called in and some 
one at the piano guides his efforts by playing 
louder as he approaches the object with which his 
action is connected, or lower as he moves away 
from it. 



ACEOSS THE WAY 

Sometimes called ''Judge and Jury." The 
players form in two rows facing each other. 
They should stand or sit sufficiently far from each 



34 HOME GAMES ^ 

other to enable each easily to know who it is that 
sits directly opposite to himself. One player does 
not form with either side, but passes between the 
two rows asking questions of such individuals as he 
selects. He must address the person to whom he 
speaks by name, but the answer must come, not 
from the person addressed, but from the player 
immediately opposite. If the player addressed 
answers he changes place with the questioner. 
If the player who should answer fails to do so 
before the questioner can distinctly count ten, he 
becomes the questioner and the questioner joins 
the line. Zest is added to the game by barring 
the use of certain words in the answer which are 
very likely to come to the lips under such circum- 
stances, such as " Yes," " No," " Black," or 
^' Green." The questions will be framed with a 
view to causing the use of these words. The 
player who uses them changes place with the 
questioner. 



GOSSIP 

The players sit in a long line or ring. The first, 
turning to the second, whispers very rapidly some 
remark or a brief story. The second, who may 



HOME GAMES * 35 

hear it distinctly, but probably does not, then 
whispers it as exactly as he can to the third player ; 
and so on until the line is finished. The last 
player then whispers it to the first player ; and 
the first player repeats his original remark to the 
company, and follows it with the form in which 
it has just reached him. 



THE PKIEST OF THE PAEISH 

A circle is formed, with one chair larger than 
the others at the head of it. In this the player 
chosen to be the priest sits. Each of the company, 
including the priest, then chooses a color. One 
will take blue, another pink, another yellow, and 
so on, and these are known as Mr. Blue Cap, Mr. 
Pink Cap, Mr. Yellow Cap, and so on. (There is 
usually a Fool's Cap too.) The game is begun by 
the priest saying, " The priest of the parish has 
lost his considering cap. Who stole it ? Some 
say this, some say that ; but I say [then he looks 
round the company and perhaps fixes on the 
member who chose black] Mr. Black Cap." Mr. 
Black Cap must then say, " What, I, sir ? " " Yes, 
you, sir," says the priest. " Not I, sir," says Mr. 
Black Cap. " Who then, sir ? " asks the priest. 



36 ' HOME GAMES 



it^T 



And here Mr. Black Cap has the opportunity 
passing the game on by fixing on another player. 
Perhaps it is Mr. Yellow Cap. If so, Mr. Black 
Cap will say, " Mr. Yellow Cap," and Mr. Yellow 
Cap and Mr. Black Cap then carry on the same 
dialogue : " What, I, sir ? " '' Yes, you, sir." " Not 
I, sir." "Who then, sir?" Any mistake in the 
order of words and the player has to take his 
place at the bottom of the class, and all the others 
move up one. So long as there are no mistakes 
the dialogue is held between the players; but 
after a mistake the priest takes it up again by 
putting the original remark about the theft of his 
cap. A player may, if he likes, charge the priest 
himself with the theft, calling him by his color- 
If the priest makes any mistake he goes to the 
bottom too, and the players move up so that the 
next top one becomes the new^ priest. The ques- 
tions and answers should be given with very great 
promptness or " snap." 



FEATHEE UP 

The players sit round a table and form sides, 
one half against the other, and a little fluffy 
feather is placed in the middle. The aim of each 



HOME GAMES 37 

side is to blow the feather so that it settles in the 
other camp, and to keep it from settling in their 
own. In addition to the excitement of this game 
it aif ords excellent exercise for the lungs. 



FLY AWAY 

A quiet little fireside game capable of affording 
a good half hour's amusement. The chief player, 
sitting where three or four others can comfortably 
gather around her, places her index finger upon 
her knee. Each of the other players places a 
finger beside it. When all are ready the leader 
begins as if to tell a story, but presently utters the 
words " Fly away pig," or other object. If this 
can be brought in as a part of the story so much 
the better. The point of the game lies in obeying 
or ignoring this command. If the object named 
is capable of flying, all fingers must instantly be 
lifted ; but if the object is one which cannot fly, 
the order must be ignored. Sometimes the object 
named may be one requiring a considerable exer- 
cise of judgment as to which of the two classes it 
belongs. " Fly away sparrow " or " Fly away 
horse," would not cause much hesitation, but 



38 HOME GAMES 

how about " Fly away balloon " or " Fly away 
feather " ? The action must be prompt. 



TKADES 

In this game each player chooses the name of a 
trade. A story is then told, in which the hero 
calls at different shops and gives the first letter of 
some purchase which he makes. The player 
whose shop is mentioned must, before ten can be 
counted, name a suitable article beginning with 
the letter given. As, " I called at the blacksmith's 
and bought an h." To which the blacksmith in 
this play instantly responds, '' A hammer." 



THE MULBEERY BUSH 

This is a favorite form of an old and always 
popular game. 

The players join hands and go round and round 
in a ring, singing : 

Here we go round the mulberry bush, the 

mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, 
Here we go round tbe mulberry bush 
On a fine and frosty morning. 



HOME GAMES 39 

They then let go hands and sing : 

This is the way we wash our clothes, wash 

our clothes, wash our clothes. 
This is the way we wash our clothes 
On a fine and frosty morning, 

and as they sing they pretend to be washing. 
After the verse is done they join hands again and 
dance round to the singing of the mulberry bush 
chorus again, and so on after each verse. The 
other verses are : 

(2) This is the way we iron our clothes. 

(3) This is the way we wash our face. 

(4) This is the way we comb our hair. 

(5) This is the way we go to school (very sadly). 

(6) This is the way we learn our book. 

(7) This is the way we sew our seams. 

And lastly and very gaily : 

(8) This is the way we come from school, 

and then the chorus comes again, and the game is 
done. 



THE GKAND MUFTI 

The player personating the Grand Mufti stands 
in the middle or on a chair, and performs what- 



40 HOME GAMES 

ever action he likes with his hands, arms, head, 
and legs. With each movement he says, " Thus 
does the Grand Mufti," or, " So does the Grand 
Mufti." When it is "Thus does the Grand 
Mufti " the other players must imitate his move- 
ment ; but when it is " So does the Grand Mufti " 
they must take no notice. Any mistakes may 
lead to forfeits. 



CHITTEEBOB 

Another very simple little game which never- 
theless develops lots of fun. There are several 
ways of making use of the following rhyme, but 
the best of them is to use it for competition. The 
player who can repeat it correctly and distinctly 
in the shortest time is the winner. If there is not 
time or opportunity to commit it to memory it 
may be read aloud by the players in succession, 
some one acting as timekeeper. Experiment will 
show that the undertaking is not altogether easy. 
The rhyme is : 

There was a man and his name was Cob 
He had a wife and her name was Mob, 
He had a dog and his name was Bob, 



HOME GAMES 41 

She had a cat and her name was Ohitterbob. 

^' Bob/' says Cob; 

'' Ohitterbob/' says Mob. 
Bob was Cob's dog, 
Mob's cat was Chitterbob, 

Cob, Mob, Bob, and Chitterbob. 



GOING TO JEEUSALEM 

Some one sits at the piano, and a long row of 
chairs is made down the middle of the room, 
either back to *back, or back and front alternately. 
There must be one chair fewer than the number 
of players. When all is ready the music begins, 
and the players march round the chairs in a long 
line. Suddenly the music stops, and directly it 
does so every one tries to sit down. As there is 
one player too many some one must necessarily be 
left without a chair. That player has therefore 
to leave the game, another chair is taken away, 
and the music begins again. So on to the end, a 
chair and a player going after each round. The 
winner of the game is the one who, when only 
one chair is left, gets it. It is against the rules to 
move the chairs. A piano, it ought to be pointed 
out, is not absolutely necessary. Any form of 
music will do ; or if there is no instrument some 



42 HOME GAMES 

one might sing, or tap the fire-irons together, or 
read aloud. But a piano is best, and the pianist 
ought now and then to pretend to stop, because 
this makes it more exciting for the players. 



THE TISSUE-PAPEK EACE 

Cut a sufficient number of pieces of tissue paper 
into squares of three or four inches. As many 
squares as there are players are placed in a line at 
one end of the room, and at the other are placed 
two books, or other objects, a foot or so apart. 
At the word of command each competitor, who is 
armed with a fan, starts to fan his square between 
the goal-posts. For the sake of distinguishing 
them it is better to mark the papers or have them 
of different colors. A competitor may not fan 
any other square except by accident. If desirable 
the papers may be rolled into the form of a ball, 
and w^U then be somewhat more easily directed in 
their course. 



THE POTATO EACE 

This is a good game for a hall or landing. Two 
baskets are needed, which are placed at one end 



HOME GAMES 43 

of the hall about two yards apart, and then in a 
line from each basket are placed potatoes, at 
intervals of a yard or so all down the floor, an 
equal number to each line. Any even number of 
competitors can play, the race being run in heats, 
^ach competitor is armed with a long spoon, and 
his task is to pick up all the potatoes on his line 
and return them to the basket before his opponent 
can. Each potato must be carried to the basket 
in turn, and if dropped on the way must be picked 
up again before another can be touched, and the 
spoon only must be used. Any help from the 
other hand or from the foot disqualifies. If 
potatoes are not available, onions, apples or other 
similar objects may be substituted. 



PUTTING OUT THE FIRE 

At a fire in the country, where there is no hose, 
a line of men extends from the burning house to 
the nearest pond, and buckets are continually be- 
ing passed along this line. Hence the name by 
which this excellent game is called here. It is 
played thus. A large number of miscellaneous 
and unbreakable articles — balls, boots, potatoes, 
books, and so on — ^are divided into two exactly 



44 HOME GAMES 

equal groups, and each group is placed in a clothes 
basket. The company then forms into two equal 
lines, and each chooses a captain. Each captain 
stands by the basket at one end of his line, at the 
other end being a chair and another player stand- 
ing by that. At the word " Start," the articles 
are handed one by one by the captain to the first 
player in the line, and passed as quickly as pos- 
sible without dropping to the player by the chair. 
As they come to him he piles them on the chair 
(without dropping any) until all are there, and 
then returns them with equal speed until the 
basket is filled again. The side which finishes 
first is the winner. If an article is dropped it 
must be picked up before any other of the articles 
can pass the player who dropped it. 



FIVE DOTS 

. All children who like drawing like this game ; 
but it is particularly good to play with a real 
artist, if you have one among your friends. You 
take a piece of paper and make five dots on it, 
wherever you like — scattered about or close to- 
gether (but not too close), but not in a straight 
line. The other player's task is to fit in a draw- 



HOME GAMES 45 

ing of a person with one of these dots at his head, 
two at his hands, and two at his feet. The value 
of the result does not depend upon the skill of the 
artist. 



HEADS, BODIES AND TAILS 

For this game sheets of paper are handed round 
and each player draws at the top of his sheet a 
head. It does not matter in the least whether it 
is a human being's or a fish's head, a quadruped's, 
a bird's or an insect's. The paper is then turned 
down, two little marks are made to show where 
the neck and body should join, and the paper is 
passed on for the body to be supplied. Here 
again it does not matter what kind of body is 
chosen. The paper is then folded again, marks 
are made to show where the legs (or tail) ought 
to begin, and the paper is passed on again. After 
the legs are drawn the picture is finished. 



SHUT-EYE PICTUEES 

The usual thing to draw with shut eyes is a 
pig, but any animal will do as well (or almost as 



46 HOME GAMES 

well, for perhaps the pig's curly tail just puts him 
in the first place). Why it should be so funny a 
game it is difficult quite to explain, but people 
laugh more loudly over it than over anything 
else. We have known persons to keep a visitors' 
book in which friends were invited to draw shut- 
eye pigs. The drawings were signed, and the 
date is added, making a unique sort of autograph 
album. At any rate the " shut-eye pig " is an 
amusing animal. , 



PICKLED POETEAITS 

Each player has a sheet of paper and a pencil. 
Each draws a head of man or beast, making it as 
funny as he can. He then folds it backward, 
leaving in sight only two lines that show where 
the neck is. The paper is then passed to his right 
hand neighbor, who draws a body and arms, and 
passes it on, leaving in sight only an indica- 
tion of where the legs are to go. The third 
person who gets it draws the legs and feet, and 
the last one who gets it writes a name. It is 
then unfolded and passed around for every one to 
laugh at. 



HOME GAMES 47 

BURIED NAMES 

The first thing for the players to do is to decide 
what kind of name they will bury. The best 
way is to call out something in turn. Thus, if 
there are four players they may decide to bury 
the name of an author, a girl, a town, and aj'iver. 
Each player writes these down and a fixed time 
is given for burial, which consists in writing a 
sentence that shall contain the name somewhere 
spelt rightly but spread over two words, or three 
if possible. At the end of the time the sentences 
are read aloud in turn, while the others guess. 
Of course, the whole game may be given up to 
burying only one kind of name, but variety is 
perhaps better. Examples are given : 

A town : Clothes that are new have no need of 

brushing. 
A river : To see spoilt ham especially annoys me. 



THE GAME OF LISTS 

Paper is provided, and each player in turn calls 
out something which the whole company write 
down. Thus, suppose there are five players and 
you decide to go round three times : the first may 



48 



HOME GAMES 



say a river ; the second, a doctor ; the third, a 
complaint ; the fourth, a play ; the fifth, a street 
in London ; the first again, a musical instrument ; 
the second again, a cricketer ; and so on, until the 
fifteen things are all written down. Each paper 
will then have the same list of fifteen things upon 
it. One of the company then opens a book at 
random, and chooses, say, the first letter of the 
third word in the first line. Perhaps it is T. 
For a given time each player has to supply his 
list with answers beginning with T. At the call 
of time one of the papers may present this appear- 
ance: 



A river 

A doctor 

A complaint 

A play 

A street in London 

A musical instrument 

A cricketer . 

A flower 

A mineral . 

A lake 

A tree 

A state in America 

An author . 

An artist 

A preacher . 



Tees 

Mr. Treves 

Tic Doloreux 

Timon of Athens 

Theobald's Eoad 

Trombone 

Tate 

Trefoil 

Tin 

Tanganyika 

Tulip 

Texas 

Trollope 

Tadema 

Talmage 



HOME GAMES 49 

Each player in turn reads his list aloud, strikes 
off those words that others also have, and puts a 
mark against the rest. The player having the 
largest number of names not appearing on any 
other paper is the victor. 



EIDDLES 

At the top of the paper is written anything 
that you can think of : ''A soldier," " A new 
dress," " A fit of the blues," " A railway acci- 
dent " — anything that suggests itself. The paper 
is passed on and anything else is written, no mat- 
ter what. It is passed on again and opened. 
Suppose that the two things written on it are, 
first, " A Member of Congress," and second, " A 
pair of skates." The duty of the player is to treat 
them as a riddle, and, asking the question either 
as " Why is a member of Congress like a pair of 
skates ? " or " What is the difference between a 
member of Congress and a pair of skates ? " 
(whichever way one prefers), to supply a reason- 
able answer. This game, it will be seen, is suited 
particularly to clever people. 



50 HOME GAMES 



EHYMING ANSWEPwS 

This is a game that needs a certain amount of 
readiness and some skill with words. Each of 
the party writes at the top of a piece of paper a 
question of any kind whatever, such as " How old 
was Cassar when he died ? " or " What is your 
favorite color ? " The paper is folded over and 
passed on, and the next player writes a word 
— any word — such as '' electricity," " potato," 
" courageously," " milk." The papers are then 
passed on once more and opened, and the task of 
each player is to write a rhyme in which the 
question on his paper is answered and the word 
on his paper is introduced. 



COMPOSITE STORIES 

Another folding-over and passing-on game is 
" Composite Stories." Paper is passed round, and 
for five minutes each player writes the opening of 
a story Avith a title prefixed. The papers are 
passed on, and each player reads through as much 
of the story as has been written and for five min- 
utes adds to it. And so on, until each player has 



HOME GAMES 51 

written once on each paper. The papers are then 
passed on once more, with the result that each 
paper will be found to be lying before the player 
who began it. The next and last five minutes are 
then spent by each person in reading through the 
story and bringing it to an end, sometimes a diifi- 
cult enough task. If six persons are playing and 
allowances of five minutes have been given, there 
will be at the end of thirty-five minutes six com- 
plete stories to read aloud. 



SNAP 



Snap cards may just as well be home-made as 
bought. They may either be painted or made by 
cutting shapes out of colored paper and sticking 
them on to white cards. In either case they 
should be made in sets of four just alike. A pack 
of snap cards made from wall paper designs does 
very well. 

The game begins by the players taking their 
cards one by one from their hands and in turn 
laying them face upward in a pile on the table 
before them. If a card is turned up similar to a 
card already on view on the table, the player who 
turns it up or the player who owns the similar 



52 HOME GAMES 

card cries " Snap," and the cards of the loser then 
on the table go to the player who says " Snap " 
first. As it is sometimes difficult for the players 
to distinguish which says " Snap " first, it is well 
to have an umpire. In the case of an undoubted 
dead-heat the game should go on as if nothing 
had happened. The player who won adds the 
cards to his own hand and continues the game. 
"When a player has transferred all his cards from 
his hand to the table he waits until his turn comes 
and then takes them into his hand again. This is 
a very exciting moment, because if in the mean- 
time his top card v/ere snapped, then he would lose 
everything. 

In good " Snap " packs there are several sets of 
cards which are intentionally made nearly but not 
absolutely alike, and it is very common to say 
'' Snap " by mistake when one of these turns up. 
In that case the cards of the player who cried 
" Snap " are placed in the middle of the table, 
where they stay until some one turns up a card 
exactly like the top one and " Snap Center " is 
called, when both the center pack and the pack in 
front of the turner-up belong to the player who 
cried " Snap Center." It may of course be the 
turner-up himself, but is very likely somebody 



II 



HOME GAMES 53 

else, because whereas under ordinary conditions 
only the owners of similar cards may cry " Snap," 
when there are cards in the middle too any one 
may cry " Snap Center." 

When a player has lost all his cards he is out of 
the game until there are cards in the middle 
again, when an opportunity comes of snap-center- 
ing them and getting into play again. The game 
goes on until one player has all the cards. 



PIG 



Pig is a rather noisy game, played with ordinary 
cards unless you care to make a set of pig cards 
to your own liking. You play the game with as 
many sets of four cards as there are players. If 
there are to be five players you retain twenty 
cards in sets of four of a kind. The cards are 
shuffled and dealt around, four to each player. 
The first object of the game is for some player to 
complete a set of four of a kind. Instead of 
drawing from one's neighbor, as in Old Maid, the 
card is handed out by the owner of the hand, he 
making the selection, and the other player is com- 
pelled to accept whatever is ofl'ered. Immedi- 
ately upon completing his hand by obtaining a set 



54: HOME GAMES 

of four of a kind, the player lays his cards on the 
table, either quietly or violently, as he may choose. 
The instant his action is observed all the other 
hands must also be laid down. The last one to 
put down his hand is " Pig." The game is played 
for as many rounds as may have been agreed upon 
in advance. The player who was last the fewest 
number of times is the winner, or " Big Pig." 



OLD MAID, OK OLD BACHELOR 

This game can be played by any number, either 
with a home-made pack or with ordinary playing- 
cards from which, according to the choice of 
games, three of the queens, or three of the kings, 
have been taken away ; the remaining queen or 
king being the old maid or old bachelor. For our 
present purpose we will assume that the game is 
Old Maid. The cards are then dealt and each 
player first weeds out all pairs, such as two 
knaves, two aces, two fives, and so on. All hav- 
ing done this, the player who begins offers her 
hand, with the cards face dowuAvard, to her 
neighbor, and her neighbor takes one. She then 
loolvs through her cards to see if it pairs with any 



HOME GAMES 55 

that she already has, and, if it does, throws the 
pair on the table. Having finished her examina- 
tion she offers her cards in the same way to the 
next player, and so it goes on. As the possessor 
of the old maid card is, at the end, the loser of 
the game, each one who gets it does all in her 
power to induce the next player to take it. 



THE OLD MAID'S BIRTHDAY 

This game may quite as appropriately be con- 
verted into " The Old Bachelor's Birthday " to 
suit the taste of the players, or give variety. 
While somewhat elaborate, it will be found to pay 
for the trouble. The first thing required is a pack 
of plain cards on which should be written the 
names of articles of food and clothing, household 
utensils, and other domestic and much advertised 
things : such, for example, as a frock-coat, a round 
of beef, a foot- warmer, a box of pills. A story, 
somewhat on the lines of that which follows, must 
then be prepared and copied into a note-book. 
The company take their places and the cards are 
handed round. These should be held face down- 
ward. When all is ready one of the players reads 



56 HOME GAMES 

the story, pausing at each blank for the player 
whose turn comes next to fill it in by calling out 
whatever is on his uppermost card. No matter 
how often the game is played- (provided the cards 
are reshufiied) the unexpected always happens, 
and it is usually so absurd as to be quite too much 
for a room all ready for laughter. The number 
of blanks in the story should be equal to the num- 
ber of cards, and in order that the story may run 
on smoothly, it is well for the next player always 
to glance at his top card just ahead of his turn, so 
that he may bring it in readily without interrupt- 
ing the story. The invention of the story gives 
opportunity for very great variety, and it may be 
made the more amusing by being written to fit 
the particular company. In the absence of such 
a personal narrative, however, the following will 
be found serviceable. Local names, both of shops 
and persons, can be substituted to advantage. 

Now everybody, listen ! It was Miss Flitter's 
birthday, and she awoke with a start and hurried 
down to see what the postman had brought. He 
had left five parcels and a letter. The letter was 
from Miss Bitters. " Dear Miss Flitters," it began, 
" I am so sorry to hear of your cold, and, in the 
hope that it will do you good, I am sending you 



HOME GAMES 57 

a . I always find it excellent, although 

mother prefers .' We both wish you many 

happy returns of the day." The other presents 

were, from Miss Ditters a handsome , from 

Miss Glitters a delicate , and from Miss 

Hitters a particularly refined . " Dear 

me ! " said Miss Flitters, " what a useful gift ! 
Just exactly w^hat I wanted." 

She then sat down to breakfast, which, this 

being a special occasion, consisted of . " I 

did my best to do it to a turn," said the cook, as 
she laid it on the table with her own hands. 

" Mary said as how you'd prefer a ; — , but, 

bless your 'eart, Miss Flitters, I reckon as I know 
your taste best." " You do indeed," said Miss 
Flitters. " The thing is perfectly cooked, and it's 

delicious. It reminds me of . To-day," 

she added, " I'm giving a party, and want you to 
serve a very charming meal. I Avill go to market 
right after breakfast. What do you think we 
shall need ? " " Well, ma'am," said the cook, 
" you may please yourself about everything else, 
but I just won't undertake to get up a first class 

dinner without at least a pound of and 

two quarts of ." " Quite right," assented 

Miss Flitters. 



58 HOME GAMES 

She then prepared to go out, and seeing that it 

looked like rain, took a from the cupboard, 

and on her head tied a . " Bless your 'eart, 

mum," cried the cook, " you've forgot your smell- 
ing salts. Suppose you was to feel faint — what 
then ? But never mind," she added the next 
instant, " this'll do just as well," and she handed 

her a . Miss Flitters, a little embarrassed 

at this, put out at such a pace that she ran plump 
into the vicar. " I beg your pardon," she ex- 
claimed, still more flustered, " I mistook you for 

a ." " Yery natural mistake," responded 

the vicar smiling. " May I come with you ? " 
" Most certainly," responded Miss Flitters, greatly 
pleased. 

They went first to Buszard's for a pair of 

, and selecting two particularly juicy ones, 

proceeded to Marshall's for a . " Is this 

for the complexion ? " asked the vicar, picking up 

a from the counter. " La, sir," said Miss 

Flitters, " how little you know of domestic life ! " 

Then they went to Fuller's for a , and to 

Jay's for a . ''It's too dear," said Miss 

Flitters. " Give me a instead." At the 

stores they inspected . " Haven't you any- 
thing fresher ? " asked Miss Flitters ; " I'd as soon 



HOME GAMES 59 

buy a ." None the less she bought two 

and slipped them into her reticule, adding as a 

little gift for the cook a . 

The party began at six o'clock. The first to 
come was Miss Kitters. " You don't mind my 
bringing my work, I know, dear," she exclaimed ; 

" I'm embroidering a for the natives of 

Madagascar, and it must be done soon." Miss 
Litters came next, and being rather short-sighted, 

sat down on a . " Never mind," said Miss 

Flitters. " Oh, I don't," she replied, " but it would 
have been more comfortable if it had been a 

." Miss Mitters came just as the clock 

struck. She was wearing a charming 

trimmed with . " What perfect taste she 

has ! " the others murmured. Miss Nitters fol- 
lowed. Miss Nitters was the exact opposite of 
Miss Mitters in all matters relating to dress. She 
had no taste at all, and was wearing merely a 

with pompons attached, and in place of 

earrings a couple of . " So fast ! " whis- 
pered Miss Litters. Miss Fitters, Miss Eitters, 
and Miss Titters each brought a present. Miss 

Pitters's present was a silver-plated . " So 

useful for the toilet table," she said. Miss Eitters's 
was a Japanese , a piece of exquisite work 



60 HOME GAMES 

ma;iiship ; while Miss Titters produced from her 
pocket a brown paper parcel which turned out to 

contain a very choice , an heuioom in the 

Titters family for centm^ies. "1 didn't know 

whether to bring this or a ," she said ; " but 

Father decided me. Father always knows best." 
When all were assembled, the guests sat down 
to supper. But here an awkward thing happened. 
"If you please, mum," the cook was heard to 

whisper in a loud voice, " the hasn't come. 

Shall I get a instead ? " " Yes," said Miss 

Flitters, " that will do very well. Don't you think 
so. Miss Fitters ? " " I think," was the reply, " I 

should prefer ." It was none the less an 

excellent and generous repast. Opposite Miss 

Flitters was a noble , flanked by a 

and a . At the foot of the table was a dish 

of . " I never tasted anything so delicious 

in my life," said Miss Mitters, taking a large help- 
ing of . " Oh I " said Miss Glitters, " you 

should try the . It's yumps.'-' The first 

course was followed by sweets, the most imposing 

of which was a wonderful frosted with 

Miss Flitters's name in pink sugar. " You must 
all have a piece," said the hostess, " but I'm afraid 
it's rather rich." 



HOME GAMES 61 

After supper came games, " Blind Man's Buff " 
and " Hunt the Slipper," but as no one cared to 

lend a slipper, they used instead a , and it 

did very well. At midnight the party broke up, 
the guests saying that they never had spent a 
pleasanter evening. As a protection against the 

cold Miss Flitters gave them each a hot . 

She then hurried to bed and dreamed all night 
of . 



THOUGHTS 
The players sit in a row or circle, and one, 
having thought of something — of any description 
whatever — asks them in turn, '' What is my 
thought like ? " Not having the faintest idea 
what the thought is they reply at random. One 
may say, " Like a dog " ; another, " Like a sauce- 
pan " ; a third, " Like a wet day " ; a fourth, " Like 
a pantomime." After collecting all the answers 
the player announces what the thought was, and 
then goes along the row again calling upon the 
players to explain why it is like the thing named 
by them. The merit of the game lies in these 
explanations. Thus, perhaps the thing thought 
of was a concertina. The first player, asked to 
show why a concertina is like a dog, may reply, 



62 HOME GAMES 

" Because when it is squeezed it howls." The next 
may say, "It is like a heavy saucepan because it 
is held in both hands." The third, " It is like a 
wet day because one soon has enough of it." 



MIND YOUK G'S AND T'S 

The players sit in a row or circle, and one 
stands up and puts the questions. The questions 
may relate to almost any branch of knowledge ; 
geography, astronomy, war, politics or literature. 
Suppose it related to literature. The question 
might be, "Who wrote the greatest English 
novel ? Now mind your G's and T's ! " 

The person to whom the question is addressed 
must, within the time limit, or the count of ten, 
answer by giving some writer of English fiction 
whose name begins with a letter which is not 
between G and T in the alphabet. Dickens or 
Thackeray would be correct, while Hardy and 
Kipling would not do. For variety's sake the rule 
could later be reversed, and only such names as 
come between G and T be received as correct. If 
literature does not happen to suit the particular 
company, physical geography presents a good 
field. Such a question as " Which do you consider 



HOME GAMES 63 

the most beautiful river in America ? " would be 
fruitful of many answers. The fact that the 
necessities of the case may compel the player to 
commit himself to a ridiculous reply, as that he' 
regards the Yahoo as the most beautiful of all 
American rivers, adds zest to the game. 



SUGGESTION 

This is an exceedingly interesting game, and is 
so simple that it can be entertainingly played 
under conditions which would render most games 
tedious or impossible — for example, on a railroad 
train. It requires a pencil, paper, and reasonable 
patience. The players each write the same word 
at the head of their papers. Each then, working 
alone and without consultation, follows his word 
by way of suggestion (as hereafter explained), 
through two other words to a third, writing down 
the three words one after the other. When this 
has been done by all of the players, the leader 
collects the papers and gives out a list composed 
of the last word upon each of the papers. Each 
player then endeavors to establish a line of sug- 
gestion, linking all of these words together. The 
skill and enjoyment of the game arises from the 



64 HOME GAMES 

V 

quaintness and ingenuity with which different 
minds work out this result. A moment's at- 
tention to tlie following illustration will make 
clear at once the method and value of the game. 

Suppose there are three players, and they start 
with the word '' Tree." Noav all words and all 
objects to which we give our attention are ready 
to suggest other words or objects, if we but 
permitted our minds to register the results. 
Sometimes the suggestion is based upon resem- 
blance, sometimes upon conspicuous difference and 
sometimes upon rhyme or sound relation. In this 
game any link of suggestion may be used which 
impresses itself upon the player's mind. To 
player A, the word " Tree " suggests " Spring," 
spring suggests ''Season "and season suggests 
*' Pepper." 

To player B, " Tree " by sound suggests " Treat," 
treat suggests ''Ketreat" and retreat by its 
significance, suggests " Coward." To player C, 
" Tree " suggests " Lumber," lumber suggests 
" Carpenter " and carpenter suggests " Hammer." 

We have now, by a process of suggestion start- 
ing from the same word, arrived at three such 
dissimilar words as Pepper, Coward and Hammer. 
The final and most interesting act in the game is 



HOME GAMES 65 

to witness the different thought-steps by which 
the several players reunite these three words — 
words so unlike in meaning and yet, as it were, 
descended from the same great-grandparent word, 
"Tree." A reasonable time limit should be fixed 
for the accomplishment, and the winner should 
be the one who completes the chain with the 
fewest links. A second prize — if prizes are given 
— might go to the one whose list, although not the 
shortest, in the judgment of the company exhibited 
the greatest ingenuity. 

The possibilities of the game seem to be only 
limited by the variations of the human mind. 
The following is a rather poor illustration of the 
chain of suggestion which might connect the three 
final words of our game. Coward, Cow, Hog, 
Ham, Hammer, Blow, Cold, Freeze, Sneeze, 
Pepper. The very slightness of the thread of 
thought upon which the mind sometimes passes 
from one idea to another adds to the quaintness 
of the result. 



THE CHOELTS 

All but one of the players are seated as close to 
each other as may be comfortable. One of them 



66 HOME GAMES 

then goes out of the room until those remaining 
have each chosen a word by which he or she is to 
be known. The absent member is then called in. 
Upon a given signal each player shouts his or her 
name-word aloud. The result is a confusion of 
tongues, out of which the guesser must, one after 
another — the shouting being repeated as often as 
may be required — identify the various players by 
theu' selected words. 



COFFEE-POT 

One of the players leaves the room, while the 
rest select some word having more than one 
meaning, or several words identical in sound but 
of wholly different significance. The guesser re- 
turns to the room and puts any questions he may 
choose to the players in turn. In answering his 
questions the players always include in their an- 
swer the idea of the selected word — but they sub- 
stitute for its expression the word coffee-pot. Let 
us suppose, for instance, that the word is rain, 
reign, rein. The questions and answers may run 
something like this : — " Are you feeling pretty 
well to-day ? " " I always feel well when there is 
no coffee-pot " (rain). " Have you been reading 



HOME GAMES 67 

anything interesting lately ? " '' Yes, a very in- 
teresting book on the present coflfee-pot " (reign). 
" I hope your toothache is better." " Thank you, 
I hope its coffee-pot will soon be over" (reign). 
" Did you walk here this evening ? " " No ; we 
came with the assistance of the coffee-pot " (rein). 
The guesser is allowed to make three guesses 
aloud, but after that he must meditate on the 
word in silence or put questions to test his 
theories. If the word is a verb and a past tense 
or present tense has to be used in an answer, the 
player says '' coffee-potted " or ''coffee-potting." 



ACTING INITIALS 

This game requires close attention and some 
knowledge of literature and public men. Two 
players go out. The others choose the name of a 
well-known person, public or private, the letters 
of whose name are the same in number as the 
players left in the room. Thus, supposing there 
are seven persons in the room, the name might be 
Dickens. The letters are then distributed ; each 
player, as soon as he knows which letter is his, 
selecting some well-known living or historical 
character beginning with the same letter, whom 



68 HOME GAMES 

he has to describe or personate. To personate is 
more fun than to describe. The players seat 
themselves in the right order to spell the name, 
and the other two are called in. When they are 
ready the first player, D, is called on to describe 
or impersonate his letter ; and so on in the right 
order. 

Suppose D, by his speech and actions, calls to 
mind Lord Dundreary as played by his famous 
impersonators. The guesser may infer that D is 
the first letter of the name represented by the 
company; and if the second player should de- 
scribe the plays of Ibsen sufficiently well to bring 
that author to mind, the two guessers would 
begin to see light ahead in the direction of the 
great English novelist. 



EYE-EEADING 

A dust sheet, or a screen made of newspapers, 
is hung up and two holes a little larger than the 
eyes and the proper distance apart are made in it. 
Half the players retire to one side of the screen 
and half stay on the other. One at a time, alter- 
nating one side with the other, they peep through 



HOME GAMES 69 

these holes. Those on the opposite side endeavor 
to identify the peeper by the appearance of the 
eyes. The game helps to form the excellent habit 
of noting the color of other people's eyes. 



THOUGHT-READING TRICKS 

In all thought-reading games it is best that 
only the two performers should know the secret. 
Of these two, one goes out of the room and the 
other stays in, after having first decided on the 
particular trick which will be used. Perhaps the 
company will then be asked to settle on a trade. 
Let us say that they decide on a chemist. The 
other player is then called in, and his companion 
puts questions to him in this way :— " You have to 
name the trade which we have thought of. Is it 
a grocer ? " " No." " Is it a draper ? " " No." 
"Is it a goldsmith?" ^'No." '^s it a fruit- 
erer?" "No." '^s it a lawyer?" "No." 
"Is it a chemist?" "Yes." This will look 
rather mysterious to some of the company ; but 
the thing is really simple enough. The questioner 
merely arranged with his companion that the trade 
thought of should follow a profession. 



10 HOME GAMES 

Perhaps on the next occasion the company will 
be asked to think of an article in the room. Let 
us say that they fix on the clock. The questions 
will then run something like this : — " You have to 
name the article in this room which has been 
thought of. Is it the piano?" ''No." ''Is it 
the curtain-rod?" "No." "Is it the carpet?" 
"No." "Is it the fireplace?" "No." "Is it 
the sideboard ? " " No." " Is it the armchair ? " 
" No." " Is it the clock ? " " Yes." This again 
is bewildering ; but again the trick is very simple, 
the questioner having arranged that the article 
shall follow something that has four legs. 

A third way is for an article to be touched and 
for the thought-reader to be asked to name it. 
"Is it this?" "Is it this?" "Is it this?" is 
asked of one thing after another, the answer al- 
ways being " No." " Is it that ? " " Yes." The 
secret is that the article touched is always signi- 
fied by " Is it that ? " But in this case, and in 
that of the others already described, the effect of 
mystification can be increased by arranging be- 
forehand that the article in question shall not fol- 
low the key phrase immediately, but, say, two 
questions later. 

A fourth way is for the questioner to begin 



HOME GAMES 71 

each question in due order with a letter of the 
French word for the article touched. Thus, if it 
were the bell, he might say, " Come now, was it 
the table?" "Zook, was it the armchair?" 
" Or the piano ? " " Cbme now, was it this 
book?" "^ow about this hearth-rug?" ^' En- 
deavor to be quick, please. AVas it the clock?" 
By this time " Cloche " has been spelled, so that 
the next question is, " Was it the bell ? " " Yes." 



NUMBEE GUESSING. TEIOK 1 

Have any member of the company choose an 
even number and secretly communicate it to all 
the other players, except the guesser. Ask him 
to multiply it by three, divide it in half, multiply 
by three again, and then to tell hoAV many times 
nine will go into it. Double the number which 
he gives you as a reply to this question, and an- 
nounce it as the original number. Example ; sup- 
pose he took the number six. Multiplied by three 
it is eighteen ; divided in half it is nine ; multiplied 
again by three it is twenty-seven. He tells you 
that nine will go into it three times. You double 
the three and announce six as the original number. 



T2 HOME GAMES 



NUMBEE GUESSING. TEICK 2 

Have some one select a number and communicate 
it secretly to the others. Ask him to double it, 
add six to it, divide it in half, and take away the 
number he first thought of. "When he has done 
this, go through some apparently abstruse mental 
calculations and announce that the original number 
is three. Example ; assume that seven is the 
original number. Doubled it is fourteen. Add 
six, and you have twenty. Divide in halves and 
it is ten. Subtract the original number, seven, 
and three remains. 



OBSEEYATION 

The real name of this game may be something 
else, but this title explains it. A small table is 
covered with a variety of articles, to the extent 
of some twenty or thirty. It is then covered with 
a cloth and placed in the middle of the room. 
The players stand round it and the cloth is re- 
moved for a minute (or longer). During that time 
the aim of each player is to note and remember as 
many of the things as possible. The cloth is then 



I 

II 



HOME GAMES Y3 

put on again and the players have five minutes in 
which to write the fullest list they can of the ob- 
jects seen. 



DESCKIPTION 

Several miscellaneous articles are placed on a 
table, say a box of matches, a bag of marbles, or ball 
of string, a large stone, a stick, a photograph, and 
various coins Avith the date side turned down. 
Each of the company is provided with a card on 
which these articles are Avritten, and the object is 
to guess as nearly as possible something about 
each ; for instance, how many matches there are 
in the box, how many marbles in the bag, the 
length of the string, the weight of the stone, the 
length of the stick, the age of the person in the 
photograph, and the date of each coin. The right 
answers are, of course, ascertained beforehand and 
written on a card in the hostess's possession. 



THE FIVE SCENTS 

A more puzzling competition is to place a row 
of five large bottles on the table, all numbered, at 
the bottom of each of which is a small amount of 



74 HOME GAMES 

liquid bearing a noticeable scent. Some may be 
toilet scents, and others medicines or essences used 
in cooking. A card numbered according to the 
bottles is given to each player, and he is expected 
to guess and write down each of the five scents. 
He is not always able to do it. 



THE TOPSY-TUKVY CONCEKT 

As the whole value of this game depends upon 
the surprise produced in the spectator, the prepara- 
tions should be made with the utmost secrecy. 
The performers, who should be of nearly the same 
size, take their places behind a sheet stretched 
across the room at the height of their chins. They 
put stockings on their arms and boots on their 
hands (or this may be done before they come into 
the room), and stand looking over the sheet at the 
company, with their hands and arms carefully 
hidden. The concert begins by the singing of the 
first verse of a song. Immediately the verse is 
finished, the leader commands, " Over we go ! " 
and the singers, with a grand bowing of heads, 
as if turning somersaults, stoop down and thrust 
up their arms, waving them about and producing 



HOME GAMES 75 

the effect of a row of people standing on their 
heads. The chorus is thus sung. Then they pull 
down their arms and put up their heads again and 
sing the next verse. 



CHAKADES 

" Charades " can be written in advance and care- 
fully rehearsed, but in this book we are concerned 
more nearly with those that are arranged a few 
minutes (the fewer the better) before they are 
performed. As a rule a word of two or three 
syllables is chosen, the syllables are first acted, 
then the whole word, and then the audience guess 
what it was. Sometimes the word is brought in, 
both in its complete form and in its syllables ; and 
sometimes — and this is perhaps the better way — it 
is acted. Thus, if the word were " Treason," one 
way would be to make the acts themselves any- 
thing that occurred to you, merely saying " Tree " 
with some distinctness in the first; "Son" or 
" Sun " in the second ; and " Treason " in the third. 
The other and more interesting way would be to 
make the first act relate to tree-felling or tree- 
planting, the second to a son or the sun ; and the 
third to some treasonable situation, such as, for 



Y6 HOME GAMES 

example, the Gunpowder Plot or the killing of 
Abraham Lincoln. On account of the time which 
is occupied in preparing and acting it is better to 
choose two-syllabled words — which, with the 
whole word, make three scenes — than three- or 
four-syllabled ones; although there are certain 
four-syllabled words which split naturally into 
two halves oi two syllables each. '' Parsimony,'' 
for example, could be performed : Parsee, money, 
parsimony. As a general rule the charades that 
are arranged during the evening are better per- 
formed in dumb show, with plenty of action, than 
with any talking at all. Gestures are under the 
circumstances so much easier than words and not 
any less amusing. 



PANTOMIMES 

Very good fun can be had also from impromptu 
pantomimes, where the performers enact some 
story which every one knows, such as " Aladdin " 
or " Eed Kiding Hood " or " Cinderella " ; or a 
scene from history proper, or from village or family 
history. The contrast between the splendor of 
Cinderella's carriage in the story and the old per- 
ambulator which has to serve in the charade onlv 



HOME GAMES 7Y 

adds to the fun. Every one, being dumb, acts to 
the utmost. It is sometimes more amusing if all 
the parts are turned upside down and a boy plays 
the heroine and a girl the hero. Where the scene 
is too tremendous for any representation to be 
given, it is best to meet the case frankly and use, 
as they did in Shakespeare's day, written labels, 
such as " This is Aladdin's Palace." 



TIPSY LETTEES 

Each of the company is handed a card which 
has been prepared for the purpose beforehand by 
having names of a dozen animals, or towns, or 
flowers, or birds, or whatever it may be, written 
on it in what might be called tipsy spelling. For 
instance, " butterfly " might be spelled thus, 
" trelbyfut," and " Baltimore " thus " Moretilab." 
A certain amount of time is given, and the winner 
is the player who has found out most words 
therein. 

A version of this game is to dot out all the 
letters of the word except the first and the last. 
You would put " Elephant " on the paper thus, 
E t, and tell your companion it was the 



78 HOME GAMES ' 

name of an animal. Or you might write " Pepper- 
mint " thus, P t, and tell him it was the 

name of a flavor. 



MISMATED MUSIC 

Much entertainment can be had from this most 
ridiculous performance. It consists in very sol- 
emnly singing the words of some nursery rhyme 
or trivial ballad to the music of great dignity. 
For example, " Mary had a Little Lamb " may be 
quite effectively sung to the music of " The Battle 
Cry of Freedom" — if you can keep your voices 
steady and faces straight while you sing it. 



THE ECCENTKIC COOK 

The fun of this game depends on a fair propor- 
tion of the players not being acquainted with it, 
in which case they will be sure to lose small for- 
tunes in forfeits before finding out the '' catch." 

The leader begins, addressing the first player, 
" I have a cook who doesn't like peas {p^s) ; what 
will you give her for her dinner ? " The person 
addressed, if acquainted with the secret, avoids 



HOME GAMES Y9 

the letter jp in his answer, and, for example, says, 
" I will give her some artichokes." • The question 
is then asked of the second person, who, if unac- 
quainted with the trick, is likely enough to offer 
some delicacy which contains the letter^; e.g,^ 
potatoes, asparagus, pork, apple-pie, pickled cab- 
bage, prawns, etc., etc. When this occurs, the of- 
fender is called upon to pay a forfeit, but the pre- 
cise nature of his offense is not explained to him. 
He is simply told, in answer to his expostulations, 
that " the cook doesn't like^'^." When a sufficient 
number of forfeits has been extracted, the secret 
is revealed, and those who have not already 
guessed it are aggravated by being reminded that 
they were told over and over again that the cook 
did not like p's^ and that if they Avould persist in 
giving them to her, they must, of course, take the 
consequences. 



HE CAN DO LITTLE WHO CAN'T DO 
THIS 

This very simple little game holds a surprising 
amount of amusement and can be played under 
almost any condition and with but slight exer- 



80 HOME GAMES 

tion. As a means of easing off from the more 
violent games it fills a most useful niche. 

The leader takes a stick (or poker) in his left 
hand, thence transfers it to his right, and thumps 
three times on the floor, saying, " He can do little 
who can't do this." He then hands the stick to 
another person, who, as he supposes, goes through 
exactly the same performance, but, if he does not 
know the game, is generally told, to his disgust, 
that he has incurred a forfeit, his imitation not 
having been exact. 

The secret lies in the fact that the stick, when 
passed on, is first received in the left hcmd, and 
thence transferred to the right before going 
through the thumping ceremony. An uninitiated 
person almost always takes the stick in the right 
hand at once. 



THE BAENYAED CHOEUS 

There is usually some one young man in the 
company who is legitimate game for this innocent 
trick. The leader states that he is about to give 
each player privately the character of some do- 
mestic animal, and that when he gives the signal 



HOME GAMES 81 

— usually by dropping a handkerchief — each player 
is to imitate the noise of his particular animal. He 
advises that the louder this is done the finer ^vill be 
the chorus. He then goes around the company and 
whispers to each player. To all save the victim 
he says, "Kemain perfectly silent." To the victim 
he assigns the character of the useful but much 
ridiculed donkey. This being done he gravely in- 
quires, "Are you ready? Now then, all to- 
gether ! " and drops the handkerchief. There en- 
sues a solemn hush, amid which the voice of the 
victim is uplifted in a mighty bray. 



"BUFF SAYS BAFF" 

This is a trial of gravity, any player failing to 
keep his countenance while playing the principal 
part incurring a forfeit. The rest of the company 
of course do their best to excite his risible 
muscles. 

One of the players leaves the room armed with 
the poker, and on reentering thumps the floor 
three times. Another then asks him, "Whence 
come you?" "From poor Buff, who is full of 
grief." " What message did he send ? " The an- 
swer to this is the following piece of doggerel, 



82 HOME GAMES 

which must be delivered with imperturbable 
gravity : 

^ ^ Buff said ^Baff/ 
And gave me this staff, 
And bade me uot laugh 
Till I came to his house again/' 

The rest of the company meanwhile do their 
utmost, by absurd questions, etc., to upset the^ 
player's gravity. If he remains proof, he con- 
tinues : 

^' Buff says ' Baff ' to all his men, 
And I say ' Baff ' to you again ; 
But he neither laughs nor smiles. 
In spite of all your cunning wiles, 
But keeps his face with a very good grace, 
And passes his staff to the very next pi ace. '^ 

In the rare case of the player retaining his 
gravity throughout these trying circumstances, he 
is sometimes considered entitled to receive a for- 
feit from those who have vainly tried to " break 
him up." 



DEFINITIONS 

Each member of the party is provided with a 
slip of card, on which lie is invited to write down 



HOME GAMES 83 

a subject for definition. When all have done so, 
the leader collects the cards, and reads out the 
whole, when each person (furnished with pencil 
and paper) is required to give his or her defini- 
tion, original or otherwise, but the more fanciful 
the better, of each of the subjects named. After 
a proper interval, the papers are collected, and 
the various definitions read aloud, much amuse- 
ment being created by the very different views of 
the same subject taken by different players. Thus 
money may be defined as : 

1. The root of all evil. 

2. The only thing a man never has too much of. 

3. The grease of the wheel of life. 

4. Hard to get, hard to keep, and harder still 
to part with. 

Etc., Etc., Etc. 



FOLLOWING THE FASHION 

This is a modern version of the old " Game of 
Contraries." The leader brings forward two hats ; 
one he places on his own head, and hands the 
other to one of the company, with whom he enters 
into conversation. The person addressed must 



84 HOME GAMES 

stand when the leader sits, and sit when he stands, 
take off his hat when the leader puts on his, and 
vice versa, A failure in any of these particulars 
is punishable by a forfeit. The conversation may 
be somewhat as follows : 

Leader {standing and wearing his own hat). 
Allow me to offer you a hat, sir. {Sits down) 

Victim {standing ujp). I am much obliged to 
you, but I already have one. 

Leader. Scarcely so becoming as this one, I 
think. But won't you try it on ? {Stands ttp^ 
and Victim sits doion) Allow me to place it on 
your head. 

Victim. Not at present, thank you, though I 
quite admit it is a very charming hat. 

Leader {throwing himself into a chah\ and 
fanning himself with his hat). Dear me, how 
very hot the room is ! Pray don't rise on my 
account. (Victim stands up^ hut omits to put on 
his hat., whereby he incurs a forfeit^ and the leader 
passes on to endeavor to entrap some other player.) 



BUTTON, BUTTON 

A children's guessing game. All except one 
sit in a row or circle. The leader with a button 



HOME GAMES 85 

between her palms, which are pressed close to- 
gether, passes along the line. The other players 
hold their hands likewise with palms pressed 
close together, but permit the leader to pass her 
closed hands between their palms. Into some one 
pair of hands the leader drops the button, but 
continues to pass on to the others as if the button 
were still in her possession. When she thinks she 
has gone far enough she stops, and asks, " Button, 
Button, who's got the button ? " Then the seated 
players guess which of their number has received 
the button. The one who first gives the right 
name becomes the leader. 



COCK FIGHTING 

This game is not so savage as its name im- 
plies. Two boys of about equal size and strength 
are selected for the combat. The ankles of each 
are tied together with a cord or a strip of cloth, 
and their wrists are bound with a handkerchief. 
They are then seated upon the floor, their arms 
hooked over their knees, and a stick of suitable 
size passed between elbows and knees, so that 
neither arms nor legs can be moved independently. 

The couple are then placed upon the floor in 



86 HOME GAMES 

the middle of the room, facing each other, with 
toes just touching, and the combat begins. The 
struggle is, with the aid of the toes and what- 
ever power of motion may be left, to overturn the 
opponent. Once turned over, the unfortunate 
cock is as helpless as a turtle on its back. Fre- 
quently the two go over at the same time, and the 
struggle begins again. 



DROP THE HANDKEECHIEF 

The players stand in a circle facing inward, and 
the leader passes around behind them with a 
handkerchief in her hand. As she goes she re- 
peats some appropriate rhyme or sings a nursery 
song. Piano music is still better if available. 

At a favorable moment she drops the handker- 
chief behind one of the players who, immediately 
upon discovering the handkerchief, must pick it 
up and chase the leader. If, however, the leader 
shall succeed in passing around the circle and tak- 
ing possession of the place left vacant by the pur- 
suing player, she is safe, and the other player has 
to drop the handkerchief. Of course those in the 
ring are continually on the lookout and ready to 
pick the handkerchief up the instant it is dropped. 



HOME GAMES 87 

LOOK AND LISTEN 
This favorite game has been known by various 
names but none seems so appropriate as "Look 
and Listen." It is a children's game. One 
player leaves the room while those remaining 
hide some article within easy physical reach of 
the finder. The absent child is then called in and 
enters upon the search. As she approaches the 
object sought she is told by some of the company 
that she is " hot," and as she wanders in the wrong 
direction she is informed that she is " cold." The 
emphasis and manner in which this information is 
imparted will guide her as to how very near or far 
she may be from the article sought. When told 
that she is " burning " she will understand that 
her search is almost over. Instead of being 
warned by speech the searcher is sometimes 
guided by music ; the piano being played loudly 
or softly as the searcher happens to be " hot " or 
" cold." 



CHAEACTEE 
A recent variation of the character game is as 
follows: Each guest is provided with a pencil 
and a card bearing at the top the initials of some 



88 HOME GAMES 

other guest. Below the initials are the usual 
questions ; in this case, eight in number on the 
usual topic — age, residence, occupation, tastes, etc. 
The requirement is for each one to fill in the 
answers to the questions with words beginning 
with the initials at the top of the card. For 
instance, ''M. E. S." are the initials. ''How old 
are you ? " " Many earnest summers." " What is 
your chief occupation ? " " Making endless 
stitches." "- What are your recreations ? " " Mur- 
der, eating and slander," etc. When all have an- 
swered the questions the cards are collected and 
redistributed, each person receiving his own 
" character," which he is obliged to read aloud, 
sometimes with an embarrassment enjoyed greatly 
by the rest of the party. 



DRAW YOUR PARTNER 
Give each guest a name card, with the numbers 
from one to six written upon it, a small pad of 
paper and a pencil. The men are asked to select 
partners for each number on their cards, and 
when this is done, the host gives the signal for 
the game to begin and announces the " partners " 
may proceed to draw each other's faces upon the 
pads of paper, each man depicting the charms of 



HOME GAMES 89 

his vis-a-vis, and each woman doing likewise. At 
the end of five minutes a bell gives the signal for 
the men to seek their next partners, and the por- 
traiture goes on. When all the partners have 
been taken and all the portraits drawn, each portrait 
being marked with the artist's initials and a num- 
ber corresponding to the number the model oc- 
cupies on each card, the collection is pinned to a 
sheet or portiere, and the guests are invited to 
guess whose likeness each drawing is meant to 
represent. The one guessing the largest number 
and the one who makes the best portrait are each 
given a prize of a photograph. 

A clever variation is to provide moulding clay 
and ask each guest to mould a bust of his partner. 



THE GAME OF GUESSAGE 

Arrange a series of questions each of which may 
be answered by a single word ending in ^' age." 
Give out the questions, either already written or 
to be written from dictation by each player. Then 
fix a time limit and see how many can have all 
the answers written opposite the proper question, 
or who can have them all written first. "When 
the time is up, the players will exchange papers, 



90 HOME GAMES 

and the leader will read off the proper answers, 
the holder of each paper ticking off the correct 
guesses. Each paper should be signed by the 
player who makes the guesses. The following 
list is by way of illustration. 

What is the age of a ship ? Voyage. 

What is the age of a pocketbook ? Coinage. 

What is the most musical age ? Bandage. 

What age is necessary for a soldier ? Courage. 

What is a railroad's age ? Mileage. 

What is the earliest age to express ? Package. 

What age is always a head ? Cabbage. 

What's Uncle Sam's age ? Postage. 

What age does the ostrich attain ? Plumage. 

What age do single people never reach ? Mar-^ 
riage. 

What age does a lady prefer ? Manage. 

What's the best age for a horse ? Carriage. 

What is said to be a mean age ? Damage. 

What age should a king have ? Homage. 

What age is always before us ? Dotage. 



FLOWEE GAME FOE MAY PAETY 

In the country, or in any place where flowers 
are plentiful, it is always fun to have a May 



HOME GAMES 91 

party some time during the month. Have in 
readiness duplicates of different flowers, two Jack- 
in-the-pulpits, two bunches of dandelions, two of 
marsh marigolds, two bunches of dogwood, two 
each blue, yellow and white violets, or nosegays of 
each, two bunches of buttercups, and so on, having 
as many varieties as guests. As the young folk 
arrive, let the boys draw from one basket which 
holds a bunch of every kind of flower and the 
girls from another basket holding duplicates. 
When all have been supplied let each boy find his 
partner. She will hold flowers that match blos- 
soms he holds. After ten or fifteen minutes' con- 
ference each couple names the flower and gives a 
quotation concerning it, also the author of the 
verse, or each couple must sing a verse of some 
song referring to that special flower or make a 
verse or little story about the bloom. With two 
heads to plan, they can usually do some clever 
work. 



BLOWING BUBBLES 

Provide a large table, covering it Avith a rubber 
sheet so it may not be damaged by soapy water. 
Blowing materials for each guest should include 



92 HOME GAMES 

bowls of soapy water, allowing one for every two 
players, who work in pairs, a clay pipe for each 
with a few extras to allow for breakages, one or 
two straws, a funnel and a ring made by twisting 
a piece of thin wire around a bottle. With these 
aids to clever blowing all sorts of tricks can be 
devised. Of course, the soap suds is the first con- 
sideration. A good soap bubble liquid is made by 
allowing to each pint of water one gill of glycer- 
in^ and an ounce of white Castile soap. This 
should be thoroughly mixed and allowed to dis- 
solve and settle. Then the liquid can be reduced 
as required, using more w^ater. Among the tricks 
that can be played with soap bubbles are the 
following: Poached Egg — Pour a thin film of 
the soapy solution upon a sheet of glass, dip a 
straw and blow upon the glass a good sized 
hemispherical bubble. Next, according to direc- 
tions, a man blower takes a pull at his pipe or 
cigarette while the straw is being redipped and 
the second bubble blown within the first, the 
second being inflated with smoke instead of air. 
The result is a white, solid looking hemisphere with- 
in an envelope glittering with all the colors of the 
rainbow. Other tricks include blowing a bubble 
in the air, then catching it with two rings of 



HOME GAMES 93 

soaped wire, pulling the bubble over a flower by 
placing the flower in a saucer containing some of 
the soap solution. Over the flower place a funnel 
and blow down the tube, meanwhile beginning to 
gradually raise the funnel. As soon as a large 
bubble is formed, disengage it from the funnel by 
carefully turning the latter at right angles, mean- 
time applying the finger to the opening of the 
tube to prevent the escape of air. Prizes may be 
provided for the best bubbles blown and for the 
worst. 



HIDE AND SEEK 

This game is played from a base. One player 
remains at the base with his eyes covered while 
he counts the specified number — usually fifty or 
one hundred — by fives, calling out five, ten, fif- 
teen, twenty, etc. While he is counting the other 
players hide themselves as securely as they can, 
and, incidentally, as near as possible to th6 base. 
When the count is completed, the player at the 
base — known in the game as "It" — calls out, 
" Ready," and sets forth in search of his compan- 
ions. The effort of the hidden players is to reach 



94 HOME GAMES 

the base ahead of '' It," and his effort is to discover 
the other players, one after the other, and return 
to the base in time to announce, " One, two, three, 

for " (the discovered player) before the latter 

can himself reach the base. If, however, the out- 
side player, by stealth or swiftness, reaches the 
base first and cries, '' One, two, three, I'm in free," 
he is " not caught." If the player who is " It " 
shall discover one of the hiders but shall call him ' 
by the wrong name, it does not count as a catch. 
When the player who is " It " has caught one of 
the others, the two exchange places and the game 
begins again. 



LONDON BEIDGE 

Another of the always popular games. Two of 
the older players form an arch by standing op- 
posite to each other with interlocked fingers and 
uplifted hands. Beneath this arch, representing 
London Bridge, all the other children pass with 
bowed heads and hasty steps, each clutching the 
garment of the one just ahead, and all nervously 
anxious to get across the bridge before the inevi- 
table disaster. While this procession is in motion 
all sing the accompanying song : 



HOME GAMES 95 

London bridge is falling down, 
Falling down, falling down, 
London bridge is falling down, 
My fair lady ! 

YouH^e stole my watch and kept my keys, 

My fair lady ! 
Off to prison you must go, 

My fair lady ! 
Take the key and lock her up. 

My fair lady ! 

With the conclusion of this .ominous verse the 
bridge falls and somebody is caught. The pris- 
oner is led at once to the spot representing the 
prison and is given the alternative of being either 
a swan or a goose— sometimes it's a rose, or a cab- 
bage, or other more desirable choice — and, accord- 
ing to the answer, is added to one or other of two 
groups of prisoners. When all have been caught 
these groups, forming in opposite lines, each 
player holding on to the one in front, finish the 
game with a " Tug of War." 



HOW OATS AND BEANS AND BAELEY 
GEOW 

All but one of the children stand in a circle 
with the remaining player in the center. Those 



96 HOME GAMES 

in the circle dance around their companion sing- 
ing the verses : 

Oats and beans and barley O ! 

Do you or I or any one know 

How oats and beans and barley grow? 

First the farmer sows his seed, 
Then he stands and takes his ease, 
Stamps his foot, and claps his hands. 
And turns him round to view his- land. 

Oats and beans and barley O ! 

Waiting for a partner, waiting for a partner. 

Open the ring and send one in. 

Oats and beans and barley O ! 

So now you're married you must obey, 
You must be true to all you say, 
You must be kind, you must be good, 
And help your wife to chop the wood. 
Oats and beans and barley O ! 

With the beginning of the song the children 
dance or sway their bodies in harmony with the air, 
but at the fourth line, '' First the farmer sows his 
seed," they stop dancing and imitate the motions 
of sowing grain by the swinging of their hands. 
Then, still singing, they stand for a moment, then 
stamp their feet and clap their hands and, in ac- 



HOME GAMES 97 

cordance with the words, turn quickly about. 
With the beginning of the third verse they again 
dance and clap their hands and, at the words, 
" Open the ring and send one in," the child in the 
center selects her partner from the circle and the 
one chosen joins her in the center. These two 
stand together while the final verse is being sung, 
when the child who was first in the ring joins the 
circle and the game begins again. 



CAT AND MOUSE 

All but two of the players join hands and form 
a circle. Inside of this circle is the frightened 
mouse, and outside is the hungry cat. Those 
forming the circle dance around, occasionally rais- 
ing their arms and giving the cat and mouse an 
opportunity to see each other. The cat is always 
seeking a chance to dash into the circle after his 
prey, and the mouse is alwaj^s' ready to escape in 
the opposite direction. Public sympathy is all 
with the mouse, and her efforts to escape are 
aided so far as may be possible without breaking 
the circle. When the cat is in the circle, the 
players lower their arms to keep him prisoner. 



98 HOME GAMES 

The cat, realizing the situation, walks meekly 
around crying " mew '' and even attempting to 
purr reassuringly. Nevertheless he requires 
watching. When he sees what seems to be a 
weak place in the circle he suddenly changes his 
tune and with a spitting and scratching which 
may easily alarm some timid link in the chain, 
endeavors to break out after the mouse. 

When the cat gets out, of course, the mouse 
gets in again. If the cat is so close in pursuit 
that he enters the ring within reach of the fleeing 
mouse, or if he actually catches the mouse out- 
side of the ring, the mouse owes a forfeit. These 
two players then give way to another pair. 



CHANGE SEATS, THE KING HAS COME 

This is another of those games which are in the 
nature of experiments upon the human nerves. 
All but one of the players are seated. This one 
begins to tell a story into which he soon in- 
terpolates the words " Change seats." To this 
command no one should pay the least attention, 
but when there is added the positive declaration 
that " the King has come," all must change seats* 



HOME GAMES 99 

In the confusion of the exchange the player in the 
center endeavors to drop into one of the vacant 
chairs. Of course somebody is left out, and be- 
comes the story-teller. The speaker is very likely 
to make various statements as to the King's move- 
ments which some too hasty listener may mis- 
understand as the proclamation of the sovereign's 
arrival. If, upon such misunderstanding, he 
abandons his chair, he may lose it. Nothing but 
the direct statement that " the King has come " 
justifies flight. 



DUCK UNDEK WATEE 

The children stand in two opposite rows, girls 
opposite boys, if their numbers are equal. Each 
couple hold hands after the manner of London 
Bridge, or better still, hold a handkerchief be- 
tween them as high as their heads. The couple 
at the head of the line pass down through these 
arches still holding the handkerchief between 
them, and are immediately followed by the next 
couple, and so on. The effort is to keep the march 
in rapid motion without breaking the arches, or 
letting go of the handkerchiefs held by the mov- 



100 HOME GAMES 

ing couples. Any player Avho loses his hold has 
to pay a forfeit. Music adds much to the interest 
of the march. 



THE GARDENER 

The leader of this pretty little game is called 
the Gardener. All the others gather about him 
in chairs while he tells how he obtained his rare 
flowers from the woods and marshes and planted 
and tended them until he has made a beautiful 
garden. Before doing this, however, he bestows 
the name of one of his flowers upon each of the 
players. Whenever, in the course of his story, 
the gardener mentions the name of either of his 
flowers the person bearing that name must 
promptly rise from his chair, turn once around, 
and sit down again. Any one failing in thus 
honoring the flower whose name he has adopted 
must pay a forfeit. The effort of the gardener is 
to make his story so engrossing — perhaps by the 
occasional introduction of an adventure of some 
sort — that his hearers shall forget to respond to 
their names. Whenever the gardener mentions a 
bouquet, all mu^,t rise and exchange seats. At 
this, the gardener attempts to appropriate one of 



HOME GAMES 101 

the vacant chairs. If he succeeds the office of 
gardener passes to the player who is left standing 
when the exchange has been completed. If the 
children are old enough to warrant the liberty, 
the interest of the game may be increased by per- 
mitting the gardener, when he chooses, to refer 
to a flower by its botanical name, or by some 
other popular name than that assigned the player. 



ILLUSTEATED PKOYEKBS 

Each card contains in one line at the top a given 
proverb, e, ^., " Faint heart never won fair lady," 
and in a medallion in the center is inscribed one 
icord of the same proverb. Thus there will be in 
the pack six cards, each inscribed with the above 
proverb, and with one of the words Faint — Heart 
— Never — Won— Fair— Lady— in addition. There 
are twelve proverbs in the pack, the first card of 
each bearing a comic illustration. The rules ap- 
pended to the game are as follows : 

The Twelve Proverbs, or a portion of them, are 
shuffled and dealt out to the players in rotation. 
The player on the left hand of the dealer com- 
mences the play by asking any other player for a 



102 HOME GAMES 

card of any proverb of which he holds one or more 
in his hand. If he obtains it, he may continue 
asking until he asks for a card which the player 
asked does not hold ; the right of asking is then 
transferred to him, and he in the same way con- 
tinues to ask, till in like manner disqualified. 
When any player has obtained all the cards of a 
set forming the complete proverb, he turns them 
down on the table. The player who first com- 
pletes all the proverbs of which he holds cards at 
the commencement of the game, or of which any 
cards remain to him as the game progresses, wins. 
No player is allowed to ask for a card of any 
proverb of which he does not already hold one or 
more words in his hand. 



MIXED PICKLES 

This is a game of the " Consequences " order, 
the fun depending upon the combination of in- 
congruous ideas. The pack consists of slips of 
card of three different colors — red, white, and 
blue. Each of the red cards contains the begin- 
ning, each of the Avhite ones the middle, and each 
of the blue ones the end, of a sentence. The 
cards are turned up haphazard, but in the regular 



HOME GAMES 103 

order as to color, namely : — red, white and blue, 
successively. Thus we have, taking specimens at 
random : 

" Nothing is made by — hunting buffaloes — in a 
tub." 

" I'm the person for — jumping Jim Crow — in a 
wherry." 

" Nothing compares with — innocent amusement 
— behind a hen-house." 

/'Do you think it's right — taking time by the 
forelock — under a bridge ? " 

" Isn't it dreadful — kissing a weasel — to please 
the children ? " 

" Do not neglect— standing on your head — when 
it's raining." 

" There's no use in — drinking cold water — if no 
one objects." 

''I'm always ready for — throwing brickbats— 
these hard times." 



BELL AND HAMMER 

This is a German game in which a " White 
Horse" plays a prominent part. The require- 
ments are as follows : 

1. Five cards, on which respectively are drawn 



104 HOME GAMES 

figures of a White Horse, an Inn, a Bell, a Ham- 
mer and a Bell and Hammer together. 

2. Eight little ivory dice, marked on one side 
only, six of them bearing the nmnbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 
5, 6, and one with a bell and one with a hammer. 

3. A dice-box. 

4. A miniature auctioneer's hammer, for dis- 
posing of the cards by auction. 

5. A supply of counters. 

Any number of persons may play. One of them 
takes the office of Cashier. When the value of 
the counters has been settled and the counters 
themselves have been distributed, twelve of them 
are deposited by each player in the pool. The 
Cashier then disposes of the five cards by auction, 
selling them separately and using his persuasive 
powers to obtain the best prices possible. The 
fund thus obtained also goes into the pool. The 
White Horse is by far the most valuable card, 
and therefore always fetches the highest price. 
The Inn ranks next, but its value is somewhat un- 
certain. The Bell and the Hammer generally 
fe^tch about the same number of counters, being 
regarded as equally valuable, and the card upon 
which both Bell and Hammer are painted is reck- 
oned at about half the value of one of the single 



HOME GAMES 105 

figures. The bidders are not bound to limit them- 
selves to the number of counters dealt out to them 
at the beginning of the game ; should they exceed 
it, they pay the remainder of the debt either at 
once, in money, according to the agreed price of 
the counters, or out of their winnings in the course 
of the game. 

Each person is at liberty to purchase one or more 
cards, as he may think proper ; but the game is not 
limited to those who have purchased cards. 

The dice are thrown by the players alternately, 
beginning with the holder of the White Horse, any 
one being allowed to dispose of his throw to the 
highest bidder. When all blanks are thrown, each 
of the players pays one to the holder of the White 
Horse, and the White Horse pays one to the Inn. 
If, with the blanks, the Bell, or Hammer, or the 
Bell and Hammer together is thrown, the possessor 
of the card so thrown pays one to the White 
Horse. 

When numbers are thrown in conjunction with 
the Bell, Hammer, or Bell and Hammer, the cash- 
ier pays counters, to the amount of the numbers 
thrown, to the holder of such card, from the pool ; 
but if numbers are thrown unaccompanied, the 
cashier then pays to the thrower. 



106 HOME GAMES 

When the pool is nearly empty, there arises an 
advantage to the Inn; for if a player throws a 
figure greater than the quantity contained in the 
pool, he must pay the difference to the Inn : thus, 
supposing there are but three counters in the pool, 
and the player throws eight, he is to pay five to 
the Inn ; but if two is thrown, two are paid to 
him from the pool, and so on till a figure is 
thrown which clears the pool, and so concludes 
the game. 

If all blanks are thrown after the Inn begins to 
receive, the players pay nothing, but the owner of 
the White Horse pays one to the Inn ; and should 
the Bell, etc., be thrown with all blanks, the 
holder of that card pays one to the Inn ; but if 
numbers accompany the Bell, etc., the holder of 
that card must pay to the Inn the number thrown 
above those remaining in the pool. 



MATCH AND CATCH 

This game is played with a pack of cards similar 
in character to those used in Snap. They are dealt 
face downward in the usual way, the first player 
turning up one card, and the others following his 
example in regular succession. The first person 



HOME GAMES 107 

who turns up a card identical in subject with that 
of the first player is said to match and catch; 
that is, he matches that particular card and 
thereby catches not only that card, but all cards 
then exposed on the table. These he adds to his 
own heap and, becoming the leader, turns up 
another card for the other players to match if 
possible. The player who succeeds in getting all 
the cards into his own hand wins the game. 



THE SOYEKEIGNS OF ENGLAND 

This is one of those games which are sometimes 
described as combining amusement with instruc- 
tion. Lest this may prejudice some against a 
really good game, we hasten to say that the 
amount of instruction to be derived from it will 
not be found burdensome. The game is played 
with a pack of cards, on each of which is the rep- 
resentation of one of the sovereigns of England, 
each in appropriate costume, and with his or her 
name and the date of accession to the throne 
plainly inscribed beneath. An additional card, 
known as the " Game Card," has, instead of a 
portrait, a representation of the royal arms. If 
such a deck is not easily accessible, one may be 



108 HOME GAMES 

easily manufactured by writing the information 
upon a set of blank cards and omitting the por- 
traits. 

Each player, of whom there may be any num- 
ber above three, is provided with a given number 
of counters. There are two 'Spools," known 'as 
the " large " pool and the ''' Game " pool. Previ- 
ous to every deal, each person puts one counter 
in the large pool, and the dealer three in the 
'' Game " pool. The cards are then shuffled and 
dealt round face downward, the last being left 
also face downward on the table. 

The object of the game is twofold — (1) to hold 
the Game Card, and (2) to hold in the player's 
hand none but sovereigns in consecutive order. 

The first player, i. e,, the one on the left of the 
dealer, lays on the table, face downward, any 
card of his hand he pleases, and takes in the single 
card in its place. The second player then in like 
manner discards one card, and takes in that which 
was discarded by the last player. The game pro- 
ceeds in like manner until one or other of the 
players holds none but consecutive sovereigns, 
when he shows his hand, and takes the large pool. 
If he also chances to have the Game Card, he 
takes the ''Game" pool in addition. If any 



HOME GAMES 109 

player by mistake shows his hand as consisting of 
consecutive sovereigns, and proves to be at fault 
in his English history, he forfeits three counters 
to the large pool. We should add, however, for 
the encouragement of the overmodest that there 
is really no excuse for such a disaster, inasmuch 
as two or three printed lists of Kings and Queens 
of England are supplied with the cards, and lie on 
the table for ready reference. 



PUMBLECHOOK 

This is played with a pack of cards each of 
which contains the figure of some bird or animal, 
and beneath it a sentence of the multiplication 
table. There are some forty or fifty of these 
cards. Each of them is cut in two down the 
center so that a portion of the figures is upon 
one fragment and a portion upon the other, as fol- 
lows : " 9 times 6 " — " 54," the multiplication ap- 
pearing upon one half, and the result (54) upon 
the other. 

Each player is supplied with (say) two dozen 
counters, and contributes three of them to form a 
pool. The first halves of the cards, containing 
the questions, are scattered in the center of the 



110 HOME GAMES 

table, face downward; the remaining halves of 
the cards are dealt to the players in rotation, each 
player then taking up his cards and sorting them 
into consecutive order, so as to see readily what 
numbers he holds. The player to the left of the 
dealer then draws one of the cards from the center 
of the table, and reads aloud the question, e, g.^ 
" five times five ? " upon it. The player holding 
the answer (twenty-five) among his cards is enti- 
tled to " take " the question card, and places the 
two halves, forming a complete picture, as a 
"trick," by his side. The winner of the trick 
then draws a card from the center of the table, 
and in like manner calls aloud the question upon 
it ; and so the game continues until one of the 
players has paired all his cards, and thereby be- 
comes the winner of the pool. Any player 
wrongfully claiming a card forfeits three counters 
to the pool. The player who is second to the 
winner saves or receives back his original stake. 



CAT 

The cat stands outside of the door of the room 
within which the rest of the players are gathered. 
One after the other the players approach the door 



HOME GAMES 111 

and utter a " miaou," plaintive or defiant, as the 
case may be. If the cat recognizes the voice and 
gives the correct name he is permitted to enter 
the room, while the player who has been discov- 
ered becomes the cat. If the cat fails to identify 
the feline voice he is vigorously hissed and pelted 
with imaginary bootjacks, hair brushes, and so 
forth — so far as such violence can be verbally be- 
stowed. 



THE HUNTER 

The players, except the leader, who is called 
the hunter, are seated about the room. Each is 
given the name of some article of a hunter's out- 
fit, such as "Cartridge," "Powder," "Knife," 
" Belt," " Stock " and so forth. The hunter pre- 
pares to set out upon a gunning expedition and, 
one after the other, calls for his equipment. As 
each article is named the player bearing the name 
rises and forms in line behind the hunter, each 
player holding on to the one in advance. When all 
is ready the hunter sets out, followed of course by 
the entire line. For a time he moves slowly 
about the room, but presently at the sign of game 
he becomes excited and increases his speed. Sud- 



112 HOME GAMES 

denly he comes upon Ms game and exclaims 
" Bang," whereupon the line instantly breaks up 
and everybody attempts to reach a chair. As, 
however, there is one fewer chairs than players, 
somebody is left standing. This unfortunate in- 
dividual must pay a forfeit. The hunter is not 
changed throughout the game. 



HOLDING THE HA^^DKEECHIEF 

Groups of three or four players hold a hand- 
kerchief spread out betAveen them. Another 
player, who is not holding a handkerchief, issues 
rapid commands such as " Hold tight, there," 
" Drop it," " Hold fast, everybody," and such 
variations of these orders as he may improvise. 
His commands must, however, be perfectly defi- 
nite, so that the players can have no doubt as to 
their meaning. The duty of those holding the 
handkerchiefs is to do exactly the opposite from 
the command, dropping the handkerchief when 
directed to hold it, and holding it tight when told 
to let go. By increasing the speed and varying 
the emphasis of his orders the leader will, sooner 
or later, catch even the more careful players. 
Each player who fails to disobey the commands 



HOME GAMES 113 

of the leader drops out of the game, until only- 
one remams. This one becomes the new leader- 



INDUSTRY 

This game increases in difficulty as it proceeds^ 
but there is much amusement in the experiment. 
The players are seated about the room. One of 
them begins to hammer on his knee with his 
right hand, after the manner of the cobbler. At 
the same time he inquires aloud of ^his neighbor 
to the left : " Why don't you work as 1 do ? " 
" How do you work ? " inquires the neighbor. 
"I work with one," is the reply. The second 
player then begins to hammer on his knee with 
his right hand, and addresses the same question 
to his next neighbor to the left. So the question 
and the occupation passes around the room until 
everybody is hammering with his right hand on 
his knee. Then the process is repeated except 
that the answer is " I work with two " and the 
players hammer with both hands upon both knees. 
Then the answer is " With three," and the player 
begins some motion with his right foot, meantime 
keeping up the movement with both hands. 
This process goes on until both hands, both feet 



114 HOi\lE GAMES 

and the head are kept in motion. The winner is 
the one who can keep this up the longest. 



THE GAME OF THE BLIND POSTMAN 

The game of the blind postman is one especially 
adapted for a large party. It is played as fol- 
lows : 

The postman is selected by lot, while the post- 
master-general either volunteers his services, or he 
is elected by the company. The person on whom 
the unwished-for honor of enacting postman falls 
(it may be either a lady or a gentleman) is blind- 
folded ; the remainder of the company meanwhile 
seating themselves round the room. The number 
of chairs is limited, so that there shall be one less 
than the number of players. The postmaster- 
general then writes the names of certain cities 
and towns on slips of paper, giving one to each 
person, so that they may remember by what name 
they are to answer. Should there be but few 
players, the names can be given orally. The 
postman is placed in the center of the room, and 
the postmaster-general takes up a position from 
which he can address the entire company. He 
commences the game by calling out " Philadel- 



HOME GAMES 115 

phia to Boston " (or any other places which he 
may select). The players bearing these names 
must instantly rise, and endeavor to change seats 
with each other ; while the postman tries to cap- 
ture one of them before they accomplish the 
change. Should he succeed he removes the band- 
age from his eyes, and takes the chair which his 
captive has vacated, while the latter is blindfolded 
and becomes postman in turn. Forfeits are in- 
curred by those who do not spring to their feet 
and endeavor to change seats with the town or 
city whose name is called in connection with their 
own. Forfeits are also demanded of those who, 
in their hurry to be in time, answ^er when their 
name has not been called. The confusion caused 
by these contretemjps places many chances in the 
postman's favor, because he has the right to cap- 
ture any player who attempts to cross the room. 
The postmaster-general may hold his appointment 
till the end of the game, but if he tires of his 
honors he may resign. 



GUESS MY BUSINESS 

A very simple and excellent game for young 
children. One player goes out. The others de- 



116 HOME GAMES 

cide on some workman to represent, each pretend- 
ing to do some different task belonging to his 
employment. Thus, if they choose a carpenter, 
one will plane, one will saw, one will hammer, 
one will chisel, and so on. Their occupation has 
then to be guessed. It is perhaps more interest- 
ing if each player chooses a separate trade. 



CHOPPED POETEY 

This may be played in two ways, or alternately 
in both. It consists in writing in a column the 
two or three last words of some short poem, or 
poems, distributing the lists among the players, 
and having them compete in restoring the poems. 
The one who first produces the completed poem 
is the victor. If prizes are offered there might 
well be a second and third prize for the second 
and third of the successful players. Or the game 
may be pla3^ed by writing the first half of each 
line of the poem and requiring the players to sup- 
ply the missing words. To render the game most 
interesting the poems chosen should neither be 
too familiar nor too unusual. Many of the more 
familiar church hymns would do good service in 



HOME GAMES 117 

this game, which possesses the literary merit of 
tending to familiarize the players with the poems 
of his language. With a very little trouble a 
hostess could prepare a permanent set of cards 
for this game covering the best of the short Eng- 
lish poems. These would have a distinct educa- 
tional value, for poems learned in this way would 
probably be retained by the memory. 



THE OLD SOLDIER 

One of the party is appointed director, and 
makes the following announcement : " A very 
poor and deserving Old Soldier needs our assist- 
ance. His clothes are worn out and his shoes are 
soleless. I am going to appeal to you to contrib- 
ute such articles of clothing as you can to make 
him comfortable." Then beginning with the 
player on his right hand, he adds, " And now, sir 
(or miss), what will you please to bestow on my 
poor Old Soldier ? " 

[Each of the company is, in turn, to propose 
to give him some article of dress. No two per- 
sons can give the same article, and the words yes, 
no, Hack, and white, are strictly forbidden to be 



118 HOME GAMES 



1 



used by any other than the director. For every j 
act of forgetfulness a forfeit is incurred.] 

The following examples will show the manner 
in which the game should be conducted. 

DiRECTOK. Well, Emily, what do you propose 
giving our poor Old Soldier ? 

Emily. I will give him a coat. ! 

DiR. Of what color do you intend it ? 

Emily. Scarlet, I presume, will be most ac- 
ceptable, m, 

DiR. Do you not think blue preferable ? ^' 

Emily. Had I thought so, I should have 
named that color. 

DiR. Well, then, with what color shall the 
coat be trimmed ? 

Emily. With yellow, if you please. 

DiR. White is the neatest ; do pray let it be 
trimmed with white. 

Emily. Since you are so partial to — ^that color, 
let it be so. 

Charles. A hair-breadth escape that, upon 
my word. 

DiR. Shall the buttons point out his regi- 
ment? 

Emily. I think it would be proper for them 
to do so. 



» 



I 



HOME GAMES 119 

Die. Did you say you approved of it ? 

Emily. Yes ; surely you cannot hear. 

Charles. Bravo ! Excellent ! A forfeit at 
last. 

Die. We have, at last, completed a coat for 
the Old Soldier. I must now see w^ho else will 
give something; Fanny, what can you furnish 
him ? 

Fanky. I will give him a pair of shoes. 

Die. Of what color ? 

Fanny. You provoking creature, you have 
puzzled me already. Oh ! as to color, he may 
have his choice; I dare say he will prefer the 
color in common use. 

Die. Perhaps, Edward, you will give a pair of 
stockings ? 

Edwaed. Certainly, I shall be very glad to 
do so. 

Die. Shall they be white, black or blue ? 

Edwaed. Black is the most serviceable. 

Die. Undoubtedly. And it's a pity you have 
to pay a forfeit for saying so. 

In this way the director appeals to each in turn, 
increasing the emphasis of his requests and varying 
his speech to take the players off their guard and 
tempt them to use one or other of the fatal words. 



120 HOME GAMES 

THE STAGE COACH 

The dramatis personoQ must represent all the be- 
longings of a Stage Coach, such as the horses, the 
driver, the whip, the guard, his horn, the fat old 
lady inside-passenger, the thin old gentleman ditto, 
the highwayman ; every player taking the name 
of one of these, or holding him or herself prepared 
to acknowledge the ownership, and to act up to 
it. The conductor of the game commences telling 
a story about a stage coach, and, in the course of] 
the narrative, which should be as thrilling as thej 
narrator can make it, mention will naturally bej 
made of the horses, the coach, the guard, the high-* 
wayman, etc. Say that Jack represents the bold,! 
horse-riding robber; when the story-teller men-l 
tions the word '^ highwayman," Jack must rise! 
from his chair, turn round once, and sit downj 
again. William, who answers as ''guard," doe^ 
the same when '' guard " is mentioned ; and , sc 
does Tom, Bob, and Harry, let them be horses, orl 
inside-passengers, or what they will. We give! 
some idea of how the story should be Wound up : 
" Well, just as they were bowling over Hangtown 
Pike, and the Guard was blowing his Horn^ there 
suddenly darted from a clump of trees a man on 



P HOME GAMES 121 

horseback. It was goggle-eyed Dick, the High' 
wayman, ' Your money, or your lives ! ' said he, 
in a voice of thunder, whereon the Coachman 
reined in his Horses^ and the Gioard^ dropping his 
Ilorn^ took from the hind boot of the Coach a 
horse-pistol and cocked it, while the Thin inside- 
passenger and the Fat old lady shrieked in alarm, 
the one to the Coachman to Whip his Horses^ the 
other to the Guard either to blow the Highway- 
marl's brains out, or knock him off his horse with 
his Horn^ causing the Coach to trem ble so violently 
that its Axle-tree gave way, and down it came, 
burying the Ilighioayman in its ruins ; but not at 
all hurting either the Thin or the Fat Passenger^ 
or the Guards or the Coachman / the only damage 
done being the breaking of the Coachman^ s Whi2y^ 
and the smashing of the Guard'' s Horn, And all 
damage being repaired, the safe arrival at its 
destination was announced of the old Stage 
Coach, "^^ 



I 



THE GAME OF ONE SYLLABLE 

To conduct this game in a. proper manner, the 
company should be seated in a circle, a lady and 
gentleman alternately. A lady begins by propos- 



122 HOME GAMES 

ing a question to her right-hand neighbor, to 
which he must reply by a word of one syllable^ or 
he incurs a forfeit for each extra syllable. 

1st Lady. Permit me, sir, to ask if you love 
music ? 

1st Gent. Yes. {He then questions the lady 
on his right.) Pray, madam, what wood do you 
think the best for making loggerheads ? 

2d Lady. Oak. Pray, sir, who thinks him- 
self the best and cleverest man in the world ? 

2d Gent. I. Tell me, Mary, do you like cold 
weather ? 

3d Lady. No. What kind of people do you 
think prosper most in the world ? 

3d Gent. Fools. Have you much of the flint 
in your composition ? 

4th Lady. None. Pray, sir, are you not 
romantic ? 

4th Gent. Yes. But which is the handsomer, 
you or I ? 

5th Lady. I. What sort of a girl do you 
think I am ? 

5th Gent. Mad. Do you like red or white fl{ 
wine best ? 

6th Lady. Eed. Now, Edward, are you fond 
of sugar-plums ? 



HOME GAMES 123 

6th Geistt. Eather. "There!" cry several 
voices at once, " Edward has a forfeit abeady, for 
he answered rather to the question, and it is a 
word of more than one syllable?'^ 

A forfeit is also incurred Avhenever the question 
or answer once made is repeated. 

In this manner the game is continued, until 
enough forfeits are collected, or a fresh game is 
started. 



THE WILD BEAST SHOW 

A screen must be placed at the end of the room ; 
behind it is placed a mirror and a light. The 
showman stands before the scene and offers to 
exhibit his wild animals to any person who Avill 
promise not to describe what he has seen, when he 
comes out. Then the person who gives the prom- 
ise and demands admittance is asked what animal 
he wishes to see. On his naming one, the show- 
man proceeds to describe it. The description 
should be very witty, and should have some ap- 
plication (either complimentary or satirical) to the 
person who wishes to see the show. The person 
is then admitted and is shown himself in the look- 
ing-glass. 



124 HOME GAMES 



THE MOUSE m MASTEK'S BAEN 

Words and movements must be watched in this 
game. The player begins by asking a confederate, 
" Have you seen the Mouse in Master's Barn ? " 
She replies, " Yes, I have seen the Mouse in 
Master's Barn." " Do you know what the Mouse 
does ? " " Yes, I know what the Mouse does.'' 
" Can you eat what the Mouse eats ? " The con- 
federate repeats the words, substituting, " Yes /'^ 
for " Do you " in each sentence, and shuts her eyes 
at each answer. The questioner then goes on to 
another, who is not in the secret, and she probably 
omits either the word yes, or to close her eyes. 
Tliese two things form the secret of the game, 
and, unless observe, a forfeit is the consequence. 



MALAGA KAISmS 

The game is very amusing, and is almost sure to 
bring in a large numJier of forfeits for the director 
to sell at the end of the evening. The catch is 
caused by the director coughing^ or making a noise 
with his throaty before he says the sentence, which 
all the company must rej^eat after him, one at a 



HOME GAMES 125 

time. Thus, the party having all seated themselves 
in a circle, the director says, " H-e-m {here maMng 
a noise in his throat)^ Malaga raisins are very good 
raisins, but Valencias are better." The young 
lady or gentleman sitting second is almost sure to 
say, "Malaga raisins are very good raisins, but 
Valencias are better." Of course incurring a 
forfeit through not saying " H-e-m " {or making a 
noise in the throat) like the director. So soon as 
any one of the party has repeated the sentence, if 
the little lady or gentleman leaves out the " Hem " 
the director says, " Edward, or Fanny (or whoever 
it may be), you have said wrong, — a forfeit ! " but 
must not tell him how he has said wrong; and 
then passes on to the next. The third, fourth, and 
almost all the party, with the exception of those 
who have played this game before, are almost sure 
to leave out the " Hem," and thus incur a forfeit 
each, as often as the game goes round ; it makes 
the game more amusing even, if one or two of the 
number do know the trick, as to those not in the . 
secret it seems the more puzzling that others 
should do it correctly and they not. And it is 
very good fun to see the many ways each pro- 
nounce the words ; thinking they have to pay a 
forfeit through not pronouncing them properly. 



126 HOME GAMES 

When it has passed round three or four times, and 
a good many forfeits collected, then, and not be- 
fore, the director can tell them in what way they 
have incurred so many forfeits. 



EVASION 

This amusement is of an intellectual character, 
and consists in a number of questions being ad- 
dressed to the company, alternately, by the 
director of the game, or by themselves to each 
other ; to every one of which questions, evasive or 
indirect answers must alioays he given^ and never 
a direct alHrmative or negative, under a penalty 
of a forfeit ; for instance : 

DiEECTOE. I proclaim that no question from 
this time be answered either in the affirmative or 
negative. 

Edwaed. Does your injunction extend to 
every question that may be proposed from this 
moment ? 

DiEECTOE. Yes, to every question. 

Edwaed. Then please to pay a forfeit for 
your " yes." 

DiEECTOE. Oh ! So you've played this game 
before ? 



HOME GAMES 127 

Edwakd. Perhaps I have. Is it necessary, as 
in the Old Soldier, to avoid the words " yes " and 
" no " ? 

Director. Must not any answer including 
either of those words be a direct answer ? 

Edward. Certainly, unless used evasively. 

Director. Then they are altogether pro- 
hibited. By the way, that last answer of yours 
was not evasive, and you're in for a forfeit. 

And so the game goes on until enough forfeits 
have been collected, or until the players desire a 
change. 



THE FLOUR MERCHANT 

The one who personates the flour merchant will 
try every way to dispose of his stock of flour, by 
asking question after question of the others, who 
must, in their answers, be careful not to use these 
words— Jlour, /, yes, or 7io ; as they are forbidden, 
and the one who is caught using them will have 
to pay a forfeit. 

The flour merchant must persevere in his en- 
deavors to make the players use one of the inter- 
dicted words. For instance : 

" Do you wish any flour to-day ? " 



128 HOME GAMES 

" There is none required." 

" But you will soon want it ; let me persuade 
you to take some." 

" That is impossible." 

" Why so ? It is the very best of flour ; just 
look at it ; it is so very fine and white." 

" The quality is a matter of indifference to me." 

" But it will make such good, sweet bread. Dc 
take some." 

" You have had my answer." 

" Have I ? I must have forgotten it. What] 
was it ? " 

" My answer was, decidedly not any." 

" But, madam, consider ; it is a very reasonablej 
price." 

" I will not take any." 

The flour merchant having succeeded in making 
her say " I " proceeds to the next one. 



AT CEOSS PUKPOSES 

Four ansAvers are written upon a slip of paper 
and given to one of the players. What the an- 
swers are should not at first be known to the rest 
of the company. One of the other players shall 
then ask such questions as he or she shall invent, 



♦ 



HOME GAMES 129 

and the player with the slip of paper shall answer 
him or her with one of the four written answers, 
being confined to that source for his conversa- 
tion. The amusement grows out of the misfit be- 
tween the questions and answers. By way of il- 
lustration, the answers may be as follows : 

No. 1. Hot, sweet and strong. 

No. 2. With pepper and vinegar. 

No. 3. With my best love. 

No. 4. No, indeed. 

Jane inquires of Charles : 

" What kind of a time did you have at the sea- 
shore ? " 

To which he replies : 

"Hot, sweet and strong." 

" How can I serve you ? " 

"With pepper and salt." 

A dozen sets of answers can be prepared in ad- 
vance and distributed to different players to be 
brought into use as soon as the first sets have ex- 
hausted their possibilities. 



THE LAUGHING PHILOSOPHER 

The players sit in a circle with one in the mid- 
dle for leader. The leader must be one who 



130 HOME CtAMES 



laughs heartily and is very quick. He begins thi 
game by throwing a plain white handkerchief up 
in the air, as high as he can, and while it is in the 
air every one must laugh, but the minute it 
touches the floor there must be perfect silence. 
The leader must catch those who are still laugh- 
ing and send them from the ring. The game 
goes on until every one is out of the circle. If 
there should happen to be one who doesn't laugh 
when the handkerchief is on the floor he surely 
deserves a prize. 



M 



THE HORNED AMBASSADOR 

This is a game which, if played with spirit, 
creates much merriment. It is played in this 
way : 

A number of papers, twisted like a taper, are 
all the materials necessary. The first player turns 
to the person on his left hand, and, with a bow, 
says, " Good-morning, Royal Ambassador, always 
royal ; I, the Royal Ambassador, always royal, 
come from his Royal Majesty (pointing to his 
neighbor on his right, who must bow), always 
royal, to tell you he has an eagle with a golden 
beak." 



HOME GAMES 131 

The second player must repeat this to his left- 
hand neighbor exactly word for word as he hears 
it, adding brazen claws. If he leaves out a word, 
or makes any mistake, he must have one of the 
papers twisted into his hair. Then he becomes a 
one-horned ambassador, and must call himself so, 
instead of royal. 

For instance, No. 1 says : 

" Good-morning, Eoyal Ambassador, always 
royal ; I, the Eoyal Ambassador, always royal, 
come from his Eoyal Majesty, always royal, to 
tell you that he has an eagle with a golden beak." 

No. 2, " Good-morning, Eoyal Ambassador, al- 
ways royal; I, the Eoyal Ambassador, come 
from " 

Having left out always royal after his own name, 
No. 2 is horned, and says, '' Good, etc. ; I, a One- 
horned Ambassador, always one-horned, come 
from his Eoyal," etc. 

When his neighbor has gone on, he must add 
diamond eyes to the eagle — each player must add 
something to the eagle — and he must say he 
comes from his One-horned Majesty, instead of 
his Eoyal Majesty. 

By this time a good many of the party will be 
well horned ; and as every horn incurs a forfeit, 



132 HOME GAMES 

the game may cease until they are redeemed. 
Sometimes the ambassador becomes seven or 
eight-horned before the game is over. 



THE SPORTSMAN 

The players take names of different birds and 
beasts of the field, such as Hare, Rabbit, Fox, 
Pheasant, Partridge, Boar, Stag, Wolf, Lion, etc. 

One is appointed the Sportsman, and makes use 
of certain sporting terms, implements, etc., con- 
nected with the various departments of the chase, 
to which, when named, the different heads of 
game reply. Thus, when he says. The Gun^ all 
the players cry, " Look out ! Look out ! " The 
Greyhound^ the Hare says, "Run, run!" The 
Terrier^ the Rabbit saj^s, " To earth ! To earth ! " 
The Snare, the Wolf and the Fox say, " Not if I 
know it ! " The Nets, the Lion and all the birds 
exclaim, " Don't you wish you may get it ? " A 
Thicket, the Boar says, " Mind my tusks ! " The 
Staghound, the Stag says, " I have good legs ! " 
The Horn, the Stag and the Fox say, " Be alive ! " 
The Bag, all drop their heads on their chests as if 
killed — with the exception of the Lion, the Stag, 



I 



HOME GAMES 133 

and the Boar, who exclahn, ''Who's afraid?" 
Any one omitting to answer to their character cor- 
rectly has to pay a forfeit. 



TEANSFOEMATION 

This is a most entrancing game for those 
who enjoy the results of ingenuity. While it re- 
quires some little power of invention, it rapidly 
cultivates that quality in the player. It may be 
played by any number of persons, who should be 
supplied with paper and pencil and a book or 
other substitute for a writing desk. If the party 
is not too large it is best to gather around a large 
table. All being ready the leader gives out two 
words having the same number of letters, but of ^ 
very different sound and meaning. The object of 
the game is to transform the first word into the 
second through the smallest number of intermedi- 
ate words. The change must be produced by 
dropping a single letter from the first word and 
substituting another by means of which the letters 
can be formed into a different word. This process 
must be repeated until the first word has been 
changed into the object word. The leader, before 
giving the word " Start," should announce the limit 



I 



131 HOME GAMES 



within which the task is to be accomplished 
which may reasonably be ten minutes. The win- 
ner is the player who at the end of that time has 
accomplished the transformation by the use of the 
smallest number of intermediate words. If more 
than one player has accomplished the result with 
the same number of words the one who finished in 
the shortest time is the winner. It is, therefore, 
necessary to have a timekeeper to whom each 
player shall report as soon as he or she has finished 
his paper. The game can be better understood by 
means of a few illustrations. 

Suppose the leader directs the word " inch " to 
be transformed into " worm." The " c " in " inch " 
can be dropped and the letter " t " substituted. 
We then form the word " hint " from the letters. 
Next by .changing the '' i " in " hint " to " u " we 
have " hunt," the " n " to " r " and it becomes 
" hurt." The " u "to " a," and it is " hart." The 
"t" to '^m," and it is '^ harm." The "h" to 
" w," and we have " warm." Finally, changing 
the " a " in " warm " to " o" and we have com- 
pleted the transformation to " worm," using six 
intermediate words in the process. 

Much of the amusement of the game, however, 
arises from the very different roads by which the 



J 



HOME GAMES 135 

players may make the same journey. For ex- 
ample, instead of following the changes just given 
another player might have transformed the " h " 
in "inch" into ''o," and by forming the word 
" coin," have set out by a very different, and in 
this case, by a shorter route. In " coin " he would 
change the " i " to " r " and produce " corn," the 
" " to " w " and have " worn," the " n " to " m," 
and so reach the object word, " worm," by means 
of but three intermediate words. 

So the word "lame" can be transformed into 
" toad " through " made " and " date." " Sugar " 
made into " bread " by way of " argue," " regal," 
and " blear." 

The " soup " may be removed and the " fish " 
served by the employment of " push " and " ship." 
" Lunch " becomes " to-day " through the words 
"lurch," "larch," "roach," "hoary," "hardy" 
and "tardy." 

All words employed must be such as appear in 
one or other of the recognized dictionaries. 



\ 



COMMEEOE 

The guests are seated around a table, each having 
a pile of fifty beans in front of him. The leader 



136 HOME GAMES 

has two packs of playing cards, one of which is 
used for an auction sale, one card at a time being 
sold to the highest bidder, who pays for it in 
beans. When all the cards of the first pack have 
been sold, the players arrange their cards and 
beans on the table ready for business. The auc- 
tioneer then holds up the second pack and an- 
nounces that he will call the cards off one at a 
time, and as he does so, the player who has the 
duplicate of tliat card must give it up to the auc- 
tioneer. After each calling a little time is alloAved 
to buy or sell the cards. The object of the game 
is to hold the last card, which will, of course, be 
the duplicate of the last card of the second deck. 
The buying and selling is a blind appeal to the 
Goddess of Chance, as you may be selling the 
very card you wish to keep. The selling may 
either be by the face of the cards, as bidding so 
many beans for the king of clubs, or it may be for 
the right to draw from the seller's hand, as in 
" Old Maid," without knowing what card you are 
getting. 



OLD BLIND JACK 
Cut a large face from yellow paper muslin, 
making the nose, mouth and other features from 



HOME GAMES 137 

cloth of a darker color. Omit one eye. The 
more grotesque the face when complete, the 
better. Baste it onto a sheet or screen hung at 
one end of the room. To each member of the 
party is given a muslin eye. to which a pin is 
attached. The sheet is stretched across the door 
and then, one at a time, the players are blind- 
folded, turned around three times and sent off to 
attach the eye wherever they think it belongs. 
Varied and wonderful are their attempts and the 
rooms ring with laughter. A prize is given to 
the one locating the missing orb most accurately 
and a consolation prize for the biggest failure. 
The game presents even greater possibilities in 
the way of absurdity than the game of '^ Tailing 
the Donkey," which it somewhat resembles. 



HOP-OYER 

All the players stand in a ring, about two feet 
apart from each other, except one, who takes the 
place in the middle, holding a long, stout string, to 
the other end of which is firmly tied a small book 
wrapped in paper. The person in the center then 
whirls the book around the circle, on the floor, 



138 HOME GAMES 

holding by the string — each time coming nearer 
the feet of the players forming the ring, who, as 
it nears them, must jump over it. As the book inl 
whirled very rapidly the jumping is most lively, 
for if it touches the foot of any one, that person 
must take his or her turn in the middle and try to 
hit the feet of some one else whose owner is not 
sufficiently alert. Sometimes one throws the line 
so deftly that it winds around and around the 
ankles of the person off guard — fairly entrapping 
him or her. 



BLINDMAN'S BELL 

In this game all the players except one are 
blindfolded. This one is called the guide and 
has a small bell which he rings during the game. 
All the blind men are led to one end of the room 
by the guide. He then takes his position a little 
distance from them and rings the bell, which is 
the signal for the game to begin. The blind men 
grope around wildly for their guide who rings the 
bell all the time, but must move in different 
places, so as to escape the blind men who are 
hunting him. The blind men are only guided by 



HOME GAMES 139 

the sound of the bell, and the guide must be very 
quick to change his positions or he will be caught 
by his pursuers. The first blind man who catches 
the guide exchanges places with him, and the 
game goes on as before. 



HUNT THE LETTER 

Players are invited to search for envelopes, ten 
minutes being allowed for the purpose. The hunt 
reveals about a dozen envelopes if the party is a 
rather large one, six for a small company. No 
player is allowed to open his envelope until the 
conclusion of the game, when all open at once. 
In each there is some comi<^ act or penalty which 
the player holding it must perform to entertain 
the company. Suggestions for these might be, 
1, sing a song ; 2, waltz alone around the room ; 
3, relate your favorite joke ; 4, ask your pet rid- 
dle ; 5, smile your sweetest smile ; 6, paint a pic- 
ture in the air with your forefinger ; 7, tell the 
most inexplicable incident you ever heard ; 8, re- 
, late a ghost story. The performance of this im- 
promptu entertainment will pass a half hour very 
amusingly. 



I 



140 HOME GAMES 



HOW OLD AKE YOU? 

Here is a way to find any one's age : Ask the 
person whose age you are to tell to take the num- 
ber of the month in which he was born and multi- 
ply it by two. January is counted as number one, 
February is counted as number two, and so on 
through the year. To this product he must add 
five and multiply by fifty. To this last number 
he must add his present age, and from the sum 
subtract the number of days there are in a year, 
or 365. All the Avork up to this point must be 
done by the person without letting any one see 
his figures : but now you ask him to tell you what 
number he has found, and to that number you add 
115. The result obtained by this last operation 
contains the information wanted. Point off two 
figures on the right and the number will be the 
age sought, while the number on the left of the 
point will give the month in which the person was 
born. This trick never fails. 



TWISTED TREES 

Supply each player with a slip of paper upon 
which the names of a large number of trees are 



HOME GAMES 141 

arranged in a vertical row. The letters spelling 
the various names are all there, but the words are 
so badly misspelled as to be beyond recognition at 
first sight. For example : R. O. C. M. Y. E. A. S., 
when given proper attention, becomes sycamore, 
and E. O. P. P. A. L. makes poplar. 



THE DRESSMAKER'S GAME 

Arrange a series of questions upon slips of 
paper and distribute among the players. Require 
each to write an answer which will directly sug- 
gest the dressmaker's art. The following list will 
serve in the absence of another. 

1. What the farmer does to his sheep — Shears. 

2. To pick one's way — Thread. 

3. What is thrown away — Waist. 

4. A sign of servitude — Yoke. 

5. A berry — Thimble. 

6. A blow— Cuff. 

7. A company of musicians — Band. 

8. Deep sea animal and part of his body — 
Whalebone. 

9. An exclamation — A-hem ! 
10. A kind of music — Piping. 



142 HOME GAMES 

11. Necessary to hang a picture, and part of 
the human body — Hook and eye. 

12. A piece of furniture and a measure — Cot- 
ton. 

13. Money and a derogatory adjective — Cash- 
mere. 

14. A grassy yard — Lawn. 

15. Preposition and a fisherman's term — Over- 
cast. 

16. What the cook does to the turkey — Baste. 

17. A part of an eatable animal — Mutton 
leg. 

18. Part of a door — Panels. 

19. A negative — Knot. 

20. A prejudice — Bias. 

21. A king's followers — Train. 

22. Used in a broker's business — Tape. 

23. A portion of armor — Shield. 

A similar game can be based upon the trade of 
the carpenter, the shoemaker or the farmer. 



LOQUACITY 

This is a memory exercise. The leader begins 
by repeating the first sentence, which is said by 



HOME GAMES 143 

each player in turn. The leader in every case 
adds the new line, copied by the other players in 
succession. Any one making a mistake or omis- 
sion drops out of the contest. As the ranks grow 
thinner, the players are required to repeat the 
sentences more rapidly, and no time for hesi- 
tation is allowed. The one who makes no mis- 
take is entitled to a prize. The sentences are as 
follows : 

1. One old ox opening oysters. 

2. Two toads teetotally trying to trot to Trix- 
burg. 

3. Three tony tigers taking tea. 

4. Four fishermen fishing for frogs. 

5. Five fantastic Frenchmen fanning five faint- 
ing females. 

6. Six slippery snakes sliding slowly south- 
ward. 

7. Seven Severn salmon swallowing several 
shrimps. 

8. Eight egotistical Englishmen eating enor- 
mously. 

9. Nine nautical IS'orwegians nearing neigh- 
boring Norway. 

10. Ten tiny, toddling tots trying to train their 
tongues to trill. 



144 HOME GAMES 



FLO WEE QUESTIONS 

The one who can guess the most correct answers 
wins, and could be given a little growing plant as 
prize. For example : 

If I plant a lively boy, what sort of a plant will 
come up ? 

If a cow is planted, what kind of a flower will 
come up ? 

If a rich young bachelor is planted, what will 
come up ? 

If a baby is planted, what will come up ? 

If a boat is planted, what might spring up ? 

If I plant my foot, what will come up ? 

Suppose I plant a theologian, what will come 
up? 

If a history is planted, what will come up ? 
Jf a bee is planted, what will come up ? 

And the replies would be : 

A johnny -jump-up. 
• A cowslip. 

Perhaps a bleeding heart, or perhaps matri- 
mony. 

Infant's breath. 

Leeks. 
. Lady's slipper. 



i 



HOME GAMES 145 



Jack in the pulpit. 

Dates. 

A honeysuckle. 



NONSENSE 
'^ Nonsense " is a game which does not belie 
itself, for it brings together an amusing jumble 
that a roomful of young folk will find highly 
diverting. It is played in this way : One person 
begins to tell a story, stopping when the one in 
charge rings a bell. The time given to each 
narrator is not more than five minutes and pref- 
erably less. The talking stops directly in the 
middle of a sentence, and the second called upon 
by the leader must continue the " nonsense." 
Inasmuch as the individual continuing the tale has 
no idea of what the beginner meant, a curious 
hodgepodge results, and the story becomes funnier 
as it goes through the minds of several persons. 
Each present is to add her chatter, no excuses 
being permitted. The sillier the tale the funnier^ 
so that none need mind being ridiculous. 

THE FLOWEK GAME 
This is a beautiful and interesting elaboration 
of the little game of " Flower Questions," and 



146 HOME GAMES ^ 

may be made to furnish a very substantial share 
of an evening's entertainment. 

Pass to each of the guests a tiny flower pot, 
which may be purchased at any of the department 
stores or made at home from red paper a long 
strip and a round, pasted together. 

In these pots should be tucked a typewritten 
list of descriptions that will fit certain av ell-known 
flowers. Attached to the pot should be a pencil 
on a string to enable -each player to fill the 
list. Here is a list that may be extended as you 
wish : 

1. What the father said to his son in the 
morning. 

2. A bird that rises early and an implement 
that makes the horse go. 

3. A lover's farewell to his sweetheart. 

4. Fragrant letters. 

5. The color of a horse. 

6. My first is made in a dairy and is measured 
in a second. 

7. My first wears my second on his head. 

8. One end of the family pet. 

9. A fair flower between two mountains. 

10. A part of the day. 

11. A dude and an animal. 



HOME GAMES 147 

12. What Cinderella should have advertised 
for. 

13. A yellow stick. 

14. An amiable man. 

15. What an unmarried man often lacks. 

16. A church official. 

17. A tattered songster. 

18. Something every person has. 

19. Follows disappointment in love. 

20. A fortune seeker. 

The list of answers is, of course, kept by the 
hostess, who verifies the answers, which in this 
case should be : 



1. 


Johnny-jump-up. 


11. 


Dandelion. 


2. 


Larkspur. 


12. 


Lady's slipper. 


3. 


Forget-me-not. 


13. 


Golden rod. 


4. 


Sweet peas. 


U. 


Sweet William. 


5. 


Sorrel. 


15. 


Bachelor's button. 


6. 


Buttercup. 


16. 


Elder. 


7. 


Cock's comb. 


17. 


Kagged robin. 


8. 


Cat-tail. 


18. 


Tulips. 


9. 


Lily of the valley. 


19. 


Bleeding heart. 


0. 


Four o'clock. 


20. 


Marigold. 



A prize can be awarded the ones who answer 
all the questions correctly. 



148 HOME GAMES 



THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 

This requires a little prior preparation, but it 
well repays the trouble it costs. 

Ask each guest the day before the party to send 
the first picture he or she had taken. These are 
arranged on small tables about the rooms, the 
fun consisting in accurately placing " who's who." 
Grandfather taken when in dresses and curls, 
or grandmother in her baby carriage or great- 
grandmother's arms, is a bit puzzling for the new 
generation to recognize. Prizes can be given the 
successful guessers. . 



THE GAME OF " IT " 

If there is still any one who has not heard of 
the game of " It," he is precisely the one who may 
furnish fun for the rest and be mystified to their 
heart's content. The question must be diplomat- 
ically put, and when one ignorant of the game is 
discovered it is well to wait a bit before selecting 
him to be the first to leave the room. He is told 
that they in his absence will choose an object 
which he must discover upon his return by asking 



HOME GAMES 149 

questions of each in succession, after the manner 
of the well-known game of Twenty Questions. 
The company arrange themselves in a semicircle, 
and, should there be others remaining in the room 
who are unacquainted with the trick, it is ex- 
plained to them that the object to be guessed is 
the left-hand neighbor of each person questioned 
— always alluded to as '' It." It must be con- 
fessed that the fun is rather at the expense of the 
questioner. Another may be puzzled by the com- 
pany's agreeing upon the right-hand, or opposite 
neighbor, the person whom they spoke to last, or 
their host or hostess. The fun is increased if the 
company is arranged so that the questioner in- 
terrogates a lady and gentleman alternately. 



THE BUTTON CONTEST 

Tables are arranged about the rooms ; on the 
one marked No. 1 there are fifteen large agate 
buttons for each person with thread and needles. 
On the other tables there were bowls filled with 
buttons. The person at the head table, who sews 
on his or her fifteen buttons first, rings a bell and 
progresses with the one who has sewed on the 
next highest numb.er, first pulling off the buttons 



150 HOME GAMES 

SO as to be ready for the newcomers. The buttons 
must be sewed on as follows : Make a knot in the 
thread, sew once into each hole, then fasten enough 
to hold the button on. Break the thread each 
time. Every person reaching the head table sews 
on the fifteen buttons as the first did, the remain- 
ing persons beginning over again and keeping the 
score. Those at the other tables sew on just as 
many buttons as possible, while the ones at the 
head table are doing the requisite number. After 
fifteen progressions the cards are collected and the 
score counted ; prizes are awarded the most success- 
ful contestants. This game becomes much more 
amusing w^hen the gentlemen join in it. Their 
efforts in the button sewing line are likely to con- 
tribute greatly to the amusement of the rest of 
the company. 



THIMBLES AND NECKTIES 

Ask each girl to bring several bright scraps of 
silk sufficient to make a necktie. Ask each man 
to bring a thimble, not costing over ten cents. 
All the silk pieces are placed in a large basket and 
passed, from which the girls select a bit to make 
a tie ; the men produce the thimbles and thread 



I 



HOME GAMES 151 

all the needles. Envelopes are passed to the men 
containing samples of the silk, and then they find 
a partner by matching the sample with the pieces 
of silk selected by the girls when the basket is 
passed, xlfter the neckties are finished each man 
puts the one made by his partner on, and she 
keeps the thimble. If a man fails to thread a 
needle he pays a forfeit. 

It is also most amusing to provide bare bonnet 
and hat forms, with ribbons and other materials, 
and request each gentleman to trim a hat or bon- 
net for his partner while she makes a necktie for 
him. When finished the articles are worn by 
those for whom they were made, and prizes may 
be given for the best necktie and the prettiest hat. 



THE PROGEESSIYE NOVELTY PARTY 

At the head table let the players play tiddle-de- 
winks, at the second, have written and laid on 
table half of ten famous quotations, each being 
numbered, and provide each player with a pencil 
and blank card, on which numbers corresponding 
to those on the quotations have been written. The 
two players first finishing out the greatest number 
correctly progress. At the third table the game 



152 HOME GAMES 

should be euchre. At the fourth table request 
each guest to transfer two or more eggs from the 
table to a bowl by means of an after-dinner coflfee 
spoon. Those at the fifth table are requested to 
draw a sketch of a girl. The two guests drawing 
the best sketch before the bell rings progress to 
the next table. You can also have jackstraws, 
jigsaw puzzles, fishpond, and needle threading. 
The hostess should have score cards and punch 
the cards of those who progress after the bell 
rings. To the person having the greatest number 
of punches is given a prize. 



MODELING 

There is nothing boisterous about modeling, but 
it has the elements of good solid entertainment. 
Cover the kitchen table with thick brown paper 
fastened down with thumb tacks. In the center 
place a basket filled with pictures of animals, fish, 
birds, statues, anything you may wish to use for 
models. Have the guests sit around the table. 
Before they begin each draws a picture from the 
basket without looking. This he must model 



HOME GAMES 153 

within a given time. Each person is provided 
with a lump of modeling clay, or putty, and a 
small kitchen knife. The clay, or wax, may be 
bought at any store where they keep artists' sup- 
plies, but putty will do just as well and is cheaper. 
Again, a single model may be used, or something 
described, and each person told to work out his 
own idea of it. A good deal of fun can be had 
by requiring each guest' to produce a portrait bust 
of his partner. Prizes are given for the most 
original work, the most finished, and the worst. 
It is surprising how well many people can do. 



JACK FKOST 

The leader need not describe the game before- 
hand to the players, but all may form in a large 
ring, and the children be divided into groups of 
ten. To each ten an adult should be assigned who 
can assist the little people should they need help 
in understanding the game as it progresses. Let 
each group face the center of the room where the 
leader stands and place each number one at the 
left end of each section. 



154 HOME GAMES 

The leader claps her hands together and calls I 
out, " Where is Jack Frost ? " A lad dressed (orj 
not) to represent his icy kingship runs around the! 
ring and swings a wand touching number one of j 
each section on the right hand. Each number one! 
turns to the left and says to number tw^o, " Jack] 
Frost came this way." Number two asks, " WhatI 
did he do ? " Number one replies, " He nipped 
my right hand, oh ! " Immediately number one 
shakes the right hand violently. Number two 
turns to number three and says, " Jack Frost came 
this way." Number three inquires, " What did he 
do ? " Number two replies, '' He nipped my right 
hand, oh ! " Number two begins to shake vio- 
lently its frost-bitten hand and number one con- 
tinues the shaking. This goes on the same way 
until number ten is reached. By that time every- 
body in the room is shaking a frosty right hand, 
which must be kept still shaking while Jack Frost 
again goes flying around the room and touches 
the left hand of each number one. Then, as be- 
fore, number two is told by number one that 
Jack Frost came this way and that he nipped 
his or her left hand. Then, by the same process, 
word is carried by repeated questions and an- 
swers and hand-shaking to number ten, until 



HOME GAMES 155 

everybody in the room is shaking two frost-bitten 
hands. 

Jack Frost again flies around and nips the right 
foot of each number one, and a right foot is added 
to the shaking members. Then later a left foot ; 
then two feet together, and the children are all 
shaking their hands and hopping up and down 
upon both feet. Then the right ear is nipped, and 
the hand-shaking and jumping go on with the 
head turned down upon the right shoulder. The 
left ear falls a victim and the head turns upon the 
left shoulder. The last round inquires, " Has Jack 
Frost bitten you enough ? " The reply is affirma- 
tive and the head jerks assent. It must be under- 
stood that at no moment during the entire game 
do the players cease from shaking each member 
that has been nipped with frost. 



THE SHAKEKS 

This game is similar to " Jack Frost," but does 
not require quite so much activity and so is better 
adapted to small children. A ring is formed 
including the entire company. The leader ex- 
plains the game somewhat and begins singing, 



156 HOME GAMES 

in 

adapting the words to the descending music' 
scale : 

^'I put my right hand in'' (toward the center of 

ring), 
*^ I put m3^ right hand out '' (turn body square about 

and thrust arm out), 
^^ I give my right hand shake, shake, shake'' (suit J 

action to words), 
'' An<l I turn myself about" (turn square about to J 

face center of ring). 

Then the action song goes on : 

" I put my left hand in, 
I put my left hand out, 
I give my left hand shake, shake, shake," etc. 

Succeeding verses change as follows : 

"I put my two hands in," then "my right 

foot," " my left foot," " my two feet " (jumping), 

one after the other. 

This is a pleasant go-to-bed game for small 

children. 



GAEDEN CONVEESATION 

Express the following sentences and ideas each 
in the name of a single flower. With a little 



HOME GAMES 157 

thought and patience the list may be increased 
indefinitely. 

I 1. A young man's farewell to his sweet 
heart. 

2. Her reply to him. 

3. The gentler sex of the Friend persuasion. 
. 4. Its own doctor. 

5. My first is as sharp as needles, my second 
is as soft as down. 

6. My first is a country in Asia, my second is 
the name of a prominent New York family. 

7. My first is the name of a bird, my second 
is worn by cavalrymen. 

8. A church official. 

9. A very precise lady. 

10. A tattered songster. 

11. My first is sly but cannot wear my second. 

12. The color of a horse. 

13. A craze in Holland in the seventeenth cen- 
tury. 

14. My first is an implement of war, my second 
is a place where money is coined. 

15. A disrespectful name for a physician. 

16. Fragrant letters. 

17. My first is a white wood, my second is the 
name of a yellowish Rhenish wine. 



1.58 HOME GAMES 

18. What the father said to the son in the 
morning. 

19. My first is a facial expression of pleasure, 
my second a woodsman's means of livelihood. 

20. An animal of the jungle is my first, my 
second is the name of a tall, fair lady. 







Answers 




1. 

2. 


Forget-me-not. 
Sweet William. 


11. 

12. 


Foxglove. 
Sorrel. 


3. 
4. 
5. 


Quaker Lady. 

Self-heal. 

Thistledown. 


13. 
14. 
15. 


, Tulip. 
Spearmint. 
Dock. 


6. 


China Aster. 


16. 


Sweet Peas. 


7. 
8. 
9. 


Larkspur. 

Elder. 

Primrose. 


17. 

"18. 
19. 


Hollyhock. 
Johnny-jump-up. 
Smilax. . 


10. 


Bagged Eobin. 


20. 


Tiger Lily. 



HAEPOONING PEANUTS 

Arrange a sufficient number of small tables to 
accommodate the entire party. Upon each table 
place a good sized glass, or china bowl half filled 
with peanuts in their shells. Arm everybody 
with hat-pins. When the leader gives the signal 
to begin, each player sets about the task of captur- 



HOME GAMES 159 

ing as many peanuts as possible before the signal 
is given to stop. The only allowable means of 
taking the nuts is by spearing them with a hat- 
pin. Each player places his prizes in a conve- 
nient pile and they are counted at the final signal. 
The one having the largest number takes the 
prize, and the one who has the smallest number 
pays a forfeit. It may be played as a progressive 
game by having two couples at each table and 
counting their joint winnings, the couple having 
the largest pile progressing to the higher table. 
As the end approaches there is apt to be much 
excitement. It is a game in which deliberation 
often wins over haste. 



I 



AN ANTI-SLANG PARTY 

This game has a special value of its own, in 
calling the attention of the players to the dis- 
torted use which is made of the English language 
in hasty conversation. It is highly amusing. A 
brief account of the game as played on one occa- 
sion will serve as an explanation. 

Two of the elder girls were appointed censors. 
If any one forgot her " thee " and " thou '' in con- 
versation, or made any blunder in the use of the 



160 HOME. GAMES 

Friends' dialect, she was marked. No extrava- 
gance of language was allowed. Every one was 
expected to say exactly what she meant, no more 
nor less ; and the nearer one could come to this 
standard the more perfect her record. But as in 
these days of large license in speech, perfection 
would hardly be attainable, it was thought best 
not to draw the lines too hard and fast, and pen- 
alty was laid only upon the misuse of a few most 
frequently abused expressions, of which a list had 
been made, and hung in plain sight. These were 
awful, beastly, splendid, nice, horrid, dreadful, 
cute, tired. If these words were used at all they 
must express no more than simple truth, one of 
the best of the English dictionaries being the au- 
thority. 



THE CIPHER TELEGEAM 
Have each plaj^er compose a telegram of ap- 
proximately a dozen words, the exact length being 
unimportant. When all have done this, the leader 
gathers up the papers for further use. Taking 
such as seem the most promising, he reads aloud 
the initials of the words composing the telegram, 
which the other players take down in capital let- 
ters. The object of the game is to reconstruct 



HOME GAMES 101 

the telegram from these initials. Practically this 
is impossible, as it is also very improbable that any 
two of the players, in their efforts to rewrite the 
telegram, will produce the same results. A time 
limit should be fixed within which the work must 
be accomplished. When the time is up, the leader 
gathers in the various papers and reads the results 
aloud. The amusement will be found in the very 
wide departure of the restored despatches from 
the originals. By way of illustration, suppose the 
original telegram read, " Sarah packing. Albert 
off to Chicago." The initials would read, " S. P. A. 
O. T. C." One reconstruction of this domestic 
message might be, " Send pickles at once. Three 
cans." The game brings out the quaintness of 
the human mind in different individuals. 



THE GAME OF SILENCE 

This is the way to play the game of " Silence." 
Numbers are drawn from a, basket and the person 
drawing the highest is constituted '' judge." He 
or she must then sit solemnly before a semicircle 
of players and cry, "Silence!" Then everybody 
must begin to talk as rapidly and foolishly as pos- 
sible. The judge gravely observes them ; if the 



162 ho:me games 

eloquence of one becomes exhausted, if the judge 
laughs or even smiles, that person is denounced 
and must pay a forfeit. A successor is then chosen, 
the person failing to keep up with the others in 
jibing being the first choice for the vacant judge- 
ship. The judge has the right to detect the per- 
son failing, and the others the right to call for- 
feit if they detect the judge in either laugh or 
smile. After such an interruption "Silence" is 
again called, and the game proceeds as before. 
Sometimes the judge cannot help smiling, but he 
is instantly accused and replaced. This game 
should not last more than fifteen minutes, as 
it is apt to be • noisy ; but if the participants are 
witty and good-natured, and try to make each 
other laugh, it is very pleasant and amusing. 



THE GAME OF NUMBERS 

Yery interesting is the game of " Numbers." 
Each participant writes a number on a scrap of 
paper. All the papers are gathered, folded, 
shaken into a basket and drawn or distributed. 
Each player reads aloud the number received and 
instantly gives some fact introducing the number 
— as, for example, seven — '' the seven sleepers " ; 



I 



HOME GAMES 163 

there are seven days in the week, seven colors of 
the rainbow, seven wonders of the world, seven 
sciences, seven wise men, seven virtues. Twelve 
— a dozen ; there are twelve months in the year ; 
there were twelve apostles ;* twelve " Knights of 
the Eound Table." Four— the Fourth of July ; 
the four seasons ; the four sons of Aymou. Ten 
— the Council of Ten. Two — it takes two to 
make a bargain ; two is company, three's a crowd. 
Fifty — jubilee ; " Better fifty years of Europe 
than a cycle of Cathay." One hundred — Napo- 
leon's one hundred days. Thirty — " Thirty days 
hath September, April, June and November." 



PICKING FLO WEES 

A very sweet and simple child's game, some- 
what resembling London Bridge. Two children 
stand opposite to each other and raise their joined 
hands. Those forming the ring pass under, while 
all keep saying or singing, suiting the action to 
the words they sing : 

u We're looking about for a daffodil, 
A daffodil, a daffodil. 
We're looking about for a daffodil, 
We've found one here." 



164 HOME GAMES 

At the word " here " the raised arms come 
down and inclose the head of the child who 
happens at that moment to be passing underneatli 
their hands. Then all sing : 

^ We find one here, we find one here ; 
We're looking about for a daffodil, 
And find one here.'' 

" Daffodil " now takes the place of one of the 
children who caught him or her, then calls out, 
''Buttercup." The children all understand that 
buttercup, instead of daffodil, is the word, so they 
make the lines : 

" We're looking about for a buttercup, 
A buttercup, a buttercup," etc. 

The leader may hold a bouquet and give to each 
child the flower chosen. 

The next child, " Buttercup," being duly 
'' found," takes the place of " Daffodil," and the 
child who has held that place goes into the ring. 
The newcomer calls out the name of some flower, 
like bright bluebell, daisy flower or mignonette, 
and substituting that word they sing as before. 
Each child tries to be ready with the name of 



HOME GAMES 165 

some favorite flower, and the game may close 
when each child flower has been " found." 



THE MAGIC BRIDGE 
The magic bridge is another popular game. 
The children join hands and form in a ring. If 
the number is large there should be four " bridges " 
at the quarter points of the ring, these being num- 
bered one, two, three and four — one opposite three 
and two opposite four. The bridges are formed 
by two children who raise their joined hands for 
the others to pass under. The pianist leads with 
a bright, familiar air, and the children all follow 
the tune, singing tra-la-la, tra-la-la, as they dance 
and skip along keeping step to the music. They 
go one or more times around in a circle, then the 
leader indicates where a " bridge " is to be made. 
Two children raise their joined hands, and the 
two children standing opposite in the ring cross 
the center of circle. All the others following 
after pass under the " bridge." Then, turning to 
right and left respectively, the two lines follow 
the path of the circle as formed first, meet, join 
hands again and a new circle is formed. Another 
" bridge " appears as if by magic, and the children 



166 HOME GAMES 

opposite it lead again through it, the while keep- 
ing the merry measure with song and dance. 
This is one of the prettiest of dancing games, 
which is not necessary to " know how " to do. 
They learn it as they go. 



THE FOX 

A game in which the children can run is always 
a favorite. " Fox " is another ring play, so easy 
that the smaller children can play it without help. 
One of the children "fox" stays outside the ring 
and slyly taps the shoulder of one of the children. 
" Fox " runs to the left, the child to the right. 
They meet, pass each other going at full speed 
around the ring. The one who gets back to the 
" den " (the place in the ring where the child was 
standing) may hold that place, and the other must 
be the fox and try a race with some other child. 



MOURNFUL NUMBERS 

This game is exceedingly simple in form, sur- 
prisingly difficult in execution, and amusing in 
result. It consists in one player after another 



HOME GAMES 167 

undertaking to sing one or more verses of a 
familiar ballad, interpolating a numeral after 
every third or fourth word, or at such other 
interval as may be decided upon in advance. The 
numerals must be given in their natural order, 
and without hesitation, but in a solemn or, at 
least, a very serious tone of voice. While per- 
forming this combination of music and mathe- 
matics the player must suppress all signs of mirth, 
other than that which may be necessary to a 
proper rendition of the song. For example, the 
song might be the familiar " Mary had a Little 
Lamb," rendered as follows : 

*^ Mary had a little (one) lamb, his fleece was (two) 
white as snow, 
And (three) everywhere that Mary went (four) 
the lamb was sure (five) to go.'^ 

The more rapidly the song proceeds the greater 
the fun. 



BEOKEN QUOTATIONS 

A large number of familiar quotations should 
be written upon separate slips of paper of uniform 
size. These slips should then be torn in two or 



168 HOME GAMES 

three pieces, leaving upon each fragment sufficient 
of the ^vriting to suggest the full quotation to the 
reader. These fragments are to be pinned to the 
curtains, table-cloths, carpets or cushions, or hid- 
den, not too safely, in the room — beneath books, 
or in vases, or in such other places as may re- 
quire a moderate search. The first duty of the 
players when the game begins is to find as many 
as possible of these slips. When all have been 
found, the party is seated, and each player com- 
pares his slips and ascertains the number of com- 
plete quotations in his possession. These are de- 
livered to the leader, who keeps a record of the 
game. Beginning at any point designated by the 
leader, the designated player calls for the remain- 
der of any quotation, a part of which is already 
in his hand. He must give the required quota- 
tion accuratel}^ — of which the leader is the judge, 
being probably aided by a convenient book of 
quotations — and he must name the person upon 
whom he calls for the missing fragment. If he 
does not give the quotation with substantial ac- 
curacy, the turn at once passes to his left-hand 
neighbor. If, however, he succeeds in calling 
upon the proper person and obtains the paper, he 
has another turn, and so on until he makes a mis- 



HOME GAMES 169 

take. The game may be made somewhat faster 
in movement by allowing the player to call upon 
two or three persons in successionj instead of 
limiting his demand to a single individual. The 
player who in the end has acquired the largest 
number of complete quotations is the winner. If 
prizes are offered, it may be well to have second 
and third prizes for those who fall a little short of 
the best. 



KANTEE-GO-EOUND 

This is an old English game, childishly simple, 
but capable of producing no end of fun. Each 
player has three counters, or " lives," for which 
he pays an agreed price to the pool. An ordi- 
nary pack of cards is used, one card being dealt 
face downward to each person. The ace is the 
card of lowest value and the king is the highest, 
the cards between counting in the usual order. 
The player who at the close of the game holds the 
lowest card out loses a life. Each player, how- 
ever, has the right (subject to a qualification to be 
noted presently) to exchange his card for that of 
his left-hand neighbor. If a player at the outset 
has a fair average card, say anything above a five, 



170 HOME GAMES 

he will generally ^' stand" upon the chance of 
some other player being left with a smaller card. 
But if his card is less than this, say a three or a 
four, he exchanges it for that of his left-hand 
neighbor, who has not the right to refuse, how- 
ever good his card, unless he holds a king, when 
he is entitled to say, " Bo ! " This alarming ex- 
clamation intimates a refusal, and leaves his 
neighbor with his low card not only still on his 
hands, but (worse still) standing confessed as a 
small card to the rest of the table. If the left- 
hand player's original card chances to have been 
lower than that which he receives in exchange — 
if, for example, he has received a " three," and 
given a '' two " in its place, he is safe for that 
rounds and "stands." If not, he in turn ex- 
changes with his left-hand neighbor, and so the 
card travels round the circle until either a worse 
card is given in exchange for it (when the original 
holder of such carTi. naturally " stands ") or it 
reaches the dealer. The dealer, being the last 
player, has no one to exchange with ; but if he re- 
ceives a card on which he does not choose to stand, 
he is entitled to cut the pack, and turn up a card 
from the center by way of substitute for his own, 
subject to the important qualification, that if he is 



HOME GAMES 171 

unlucky enough to cut a ''king" (though ordi- 
narily the best card) he is the victim for that 
round, and loses a life accordingly. It should be 
mentioned that whenever any player hands in ex- 
change an ace^ a two^ or a tliree^ he names the card 
aloud, thereby giving a hint to holders of larger 
cards (however small in themselves) that they 
have no need to change. Thus, if the first player 
has expressed a desire to exchange, and has re- 
ceived an ace in place of his own card, the holders 
of deuces may stand with perfect safety. If there 
should chance to be two lowest cards of equal 
value, the last player of the two is the victim. 

It is surprising what vicissitudes of fortune this 
game involves. Thus, a player who has lost two 
lives in the first two rounds frequently survives to 
the last, and possibly comes out the winner of the 
poo], while another, who has not lost a life during 
the early stages of the game, will at last lose all 
three in rapid succession. 

As each life is lost, the counter representing it 
is placed in the pool ; and when a player has lost 
all his lives, he is out of the game, unless, indeed, 
he purchases a life from some player who has a 
superfluity, or who chooses to sell his chance in 
order to save his stake, or make a trifling profit. 



172 HOME GAMES 



1 



Of course, as the lives remaining grow fewer and 
fewer they become more and more valuable. The 
game is apt to reach a number of exciting cli- 
maxes. 



HAPPY FAMILIES 

This requires a special pack of cards. There 
are eleven families, being those of — 

Bun the Baker. 
Block the Barber. 
Bones the Butcher. 
Bung the Brewer. 
Chips the Carpenter. 
Dip the Dj^er. 
Dose the Doctor. 
Grits the Grocer. 
Pots the Painter. 
Scoot the Sweeper. 
Tape the Tailor. 

Each family consists, in this case, of FatherJ 
Mother, Son, and Daughter. The game is playec 
as follows: The cards are dealt in the usual way 
and a pool is formed by each player contributing 
an agreed number of counters. The player to the 



HOME GAMES 173 

left of the dealer commences by asking any one 
of the others for a character he is short of ; for 
instance, if he holds in his hand one or more of 
the characters, he endeavors to complete the 
family. When he has done this, he places the set 
face downward as a trick on the table. If he 
asks for a character and the player called upon 
has not the required card, the latter replies 
politely, " Not at home." It then becomes his 
turn to call for a card. A player obtaining from 
another the character demanded thereby becomes 
entitled to ask again, and so on, until he is met 
with the announcement, " Not at home." A 
player cannot ask for any character unless he 
hold a member of the corresponding family in his 
hand, and each player is bound to produce the 
character asked for if he has itc The game pro- 
ceeds in this manner until all the families are 
completed, when the player who holds the great- 
est number of tricks becomes entitled to half the 
pool. 

The game is then continued, as follows, by 
those players who have taken on^ or more tricks : 
The player who holds the greatest number of 
tricks asks any player whom he believes to hold 
it for a given family ; if such player does not 



174: HOME GAMES 

hold it, the right of asking for a trick is trans- 
ferred to him, and so the game goes on until one 
of the players gets all the families into his hand, 
when he becomes the winner, and thereby en- 
titled to the remaining half of the pool. 



HINKUM-PINKUM FEATHEKDUSTER ^ 

This is a variation of the previous game, and is 
played with ordinary cards. There are four 
families, the " Hinkum-Pinkum Featherdusters " 
(Diamonds) ; the " Lovers " (Hearts) ; the " Gar- 
deners " (Spades), and the " Policeman Family " 
(Clubs). The cards in each family are designated 
as follows : 

King — Mr. Hinkum-Pinkum Featherduster (or 
" Lover," or " Gardener," etc.). 

Queen — Mrs. Hinkum-Pinkum. 

Jack — Jack Hinkum-Pinkum. 

Ten — Ten servants of the Hinkum-Pinkums. 

Nine — Nine children. 

Four — The four-wheeled cart. 

Three— Old Dog Tray. 

Two— The Twins. 

Ace — The Ointy-Tointy Baby. 



HOME GAMES 1Y5 

The cards between the nine and four are 
omitted. The game is played like the preceding 
game, or like " Authors." A player must always 
say ''Please" in asking for a card, and "Thank 
you " before he touches one handed to him. If 
he fails to say " thank you " any other player may 
cry " Hinkum-Pinkum Featherduster " and claim 
the card ; but he also must be careful to say 
^' thank you " before taking it. 

A player who is out of cards becomes " a 
ghost " and the players pretend he does not 
exist. If, however, he can get some other player 
who still holds cards to pay some attention to 
him, as for example by answering a question, 
or by doing something he suggests, — then, that 
player must give up his cards to the " ghost," who 
becomes an active player again. 



SPELLING GAMES 

It is surprising what a fund of amusement may 

' be derived from four or five alphabets, printed on 

cardboard, and then cut up into, say, half-inch 

squares, w4th a single letter on each. A double 

supply of vowels will be found an advantage. 

The most simple mode of using the alphabets is 



176 HOME GAMES 



« 



for one person to pick out the letters forming 
some word, e.g.^ "nevertheless," and then hand 
them, well shuffled together, to another player,^ | 
who endeavors to discover what word they form. 

Another game, known as "Word-making," is 
played as follows : The players, each of whom is 
supplied with paper and pencil, are divided equally 
into two sides, and the leader having selected a 
word, suppose " notwithstanding," each party sets 
to work to see how many different words they 
can make of the same letters. (Thus from the 
word above suggested may be made " not, with, 
stand, standing, gin, ton, to, wig, wit, his, twit, 
tan, has, had, an, nod, tow, this, sat, that, sit, sin, 
tin, wing, what, who, wish, win, wan, won," and 
probably a host of others.) A scrutiny is then 
taken, all words common to both parties being 
struck out. The remainder are then compared, 
and the victory is adjudged to that party which 
has the greatest number. 

Sometimes the division into sides is dispensed 
with, and each player fights, like Hal o' the 
Wynd, "for his own hand." 

Another purpose for which the alphabets in 
question are used is that of forming anagrams^ in 
the composition of which they are a very great 



HOME GAMES 177 

assistance. We are inclined to doubt whether 
the results obtained in this game bear a fair pro- 
portion to the labor involved ; though it is un- 
questionable that once in a while an anagram is 
produced that is curiously appropriate. We may 
instance the following : 

Horatio Nelson. Honor est a Mlo. 

Telegraph. Great help. 

Florence Nightingale. Flit on, cheering angel. 

Radical Reform. Rare mad frolic. 

Astronomers. Moon starers. 

A fourth Spelling Game is played by each per- 
son drawing, say, twenty letters haphazard, and 
trying to form them into a sentence, the palm of 
merit being awarded to the player who, at the 
same time, produces the most coherent phrase, 
and succeeds in using the greatest proportion of 
the letters assigned him. 



THE "G" GAME 

Provide each player with a sheet of paper and 
pencil, and dictate the following or a similar list, 
without the answers. The object of the game is 



1T8 HOME GAMES 



to supply the described words within a specified 
time, say fifteen minutes. Tlie list may be indef- 
initely prolonged by reference to a dictionary. 
To begin with, use the folio wmg : 

G and one letter means departure — Go. 

G and two letters is the name of a rare ante-j 
lope — Gnu. 

G and three letters is the name of a mischievous 
domestic animal — Goat. 

G and four letters is the name of an excellent 
fruit — Grape. 

G and five letters is the name of a small bur- 
rowing animal — Gopher. 

The game may be interestingly played w^th a 
small list by allowing each player, provided the 
above answers are all given correctly, to add such 
other w^ords as might have been specified under 
each class. Thus he might add after the word 
"Goat," also, "Good, Gnat and Gnaw." The 
winner will be the one who presents the largest 
list, including these additional words, at the call 
of " Time," provided he has correctly answered 
the original questions. If he has failed on either 
of these, none of his extra words are to be 
counted. If no one correctly answers the origi- 
nal words, all extras are to be thrown out, and 



11 



HOME GAMES 179 

the person who gives the largest number of cor- 
rect answers is the victor. 



'^ TIT-TAT-TO," OE THEEE IN A KOW 

This very old game affords much more amuse- 
ment than would at first seem possible. Each 
couple of players must have a sheet of paper and 
pencil. They draw a square of reasonable size 
upon the paper, and cross it at equal intervals 
with two horizontal and two vertical lines. This 
results in nine small squares. In one of these 
small squares the players alternately make marks 
— one making a cross and the other a straight 
line or circle. The right to begin must be deter- 
mined by lot. The object of the game is to be 
the first to get three marks of one kind in a 
straight line. The line may be either vertical, 
horizontal, or diagonal. It is an excellent game 
for very small children. 



THE FEEOCIOUS "WHAT-YOU-MAY-CALL" 

This creature is especially interesting to chil- 
dren, those under twelve years of age or over 



ISO HOME GAMES 

sixty being most amused by it. The exhibitor 
begins with whatever sort of flourish in the way 
of music or other noise may be available, as sug- 
gesting the approach of the remarkable animal. 
''Ladies and Gentlemen, young and old, I am 
about to have the pleasure of exhibiting to your 
frightened gaze the celebrated ' What-You-May- 
Call' He belongs to the family of Aunt-and- 
Uncle Eaters. Xo, don't jump out of the window ! 
He's just been fed, and it will be hours before he 
has another appetite. Ah, here he comes." The 
ingenuity of the exhibitor and the incidents of the 
occasion will supply the fun until the animal is 
brought into the room — properly chained or 
guarded. It will then be in order to explain his 
diet, mentioning among other foods, "cream puffs " 
or "fudge," at the sound of which the animal 
shows signs of sudden excitement. It may be 
further explained that he is " arboreal " in his 
habits, that is, he is found only in the shade of 
grape arbors, and so forth. 

He is manufactured as follows : 

The performer, who should have black kid 
gloves on, places on his head a conical paper cap, 
worked up with the aid of the nursery paint-box 
into a rough semblance of an animal's head. This 



HOME GAMES 181 

being securely fastened on, he goes down on his 
hands and knees — holding his head down so that 
the cap protrudes forward like the beak of a bird 
—and a shaggy rug of any sort is thrown over 
him, and secured round his neck. He may be 
^'improved" by any accidental means at hand. 
A red beard pendant from his paper jaw may 
add much to the effect. 



THE LEMON PIG 

The body of the pig consists of a lemon. The 
shape of this fruit renders it particularly well 
adapted for this purpose, the crease or slioulder at 
the small end of the lemon being just the right 
shape to form the head and neck of the pig. 
With three or four lemons to choose from, you 
cannot fail to find at least one which will answer 
the purpose exactly. The mouth and ears are 
made by cutting the rind with a penknife, the 
legs of short ends of lucifer matches, and the 
eyes either of black pins, thrust in up to the 
head, or of grape-seeds. He amuses the chil- 
dren, and may subsequently be converted into 
lemonade. 



182 HOME GAMES 

THE LUMP or SUGAE AND THE MAGIC 
HATS 

The performer commences by borrowing two 
hats, which he places, crown upward, upon the 
table, drawing particular attention to the fact 
that there is nothing whatever under either of 
them. He next demands the loan of the family 
sugar-bowl, and requests some one to select 
from it a lump of sugar (preferably one of an 
unusual and easily distinguished shape), at the 
same time informing them that, by means of a 
secret process, known only to himself, he will 
undertake to swallow such lump of sugar before 
their eyes, and yet, after a few minutes' interval, 
bring it under either of the two hats they may 
choose. The company, having been prepared to 
expect some ingenious piece of sleight-of-hand, are 
all on the qui vive to prevent any substitution of 
another lump of sugar, or any pretense of swal- 
lowing without actually doing so. However, the 
performer does unmistakably take the identical 
lump of sugar chosen and crusli it to pieces with 
his teeth. After indulging in any amusing '' stage 
business " which may occur to him, he asks 
under which of the two hats he shall reproduce 



HOME GAMES 183 

the sugar, and, the choice having been made, 
places the chosen hat on his own head, and in that 
way f ulhls his undertaking. 



FOEFEITS 

Interest may be added to almost any game by 
prescribing forfeits to be imposed upon the losers. 
The difficulty lies in suggesting penalties which 
are of such a nature as to add to the general fund 
of amusement, and which yet shall not be over- 
burdensome or too embarrassing to the victims. 
It is desirable, therefore, to supply an ample list 
of penalties of a mirth provoking nature, to be 
applied or omitted according to the taste of those in 
charge of the games upon any particular occasion. 

The forfeit itself may be anything ; a knife, a 
small coin, a button, or a pin. It is in its redemp- 
tion the fun begins. 

The forfeits are generally cried, as it is called, 
as follows : — One of the party is blindfolded, and 
kneels down in front of the leader, who, holding 
up each forfeited article in turn, says, " Here is a 
pretty thing, a very pretty thing ! What shall be 
done by the owner of this very pretty thing ? " 
Or they are " cried " by this dialogue : 



II! 



184 HOME GAMES 

Leader (holding article over head of blind- 
folded person). '' Heavy, heavy, what hangs 
over ? " 

Blikd. " Fine or superfine ? " (That is, " Does 
it belong to a gentleman or a lady ? ") 

Leader. " Fine " (if a man) or " superfine " 
(if a lady). "What shall be done with the 
owner? " 

The person kneeling then declares what the 
penalty shall be. This may be either invented 
upon the spur of the moment, or borrowed from 
traditional usage ; the ingenuity of many genera- 
tions having been expended on this important _ 
subject. The general object of the penances in^ 
question is either to make the victim look mildly 
ridiculous, to puzzle him with some apparently 
impossible task, the solution of ^vhich lies in a 
double entendre. 

A list of such penalties is here added which, 
while by no means new, will nevertheless still be 
found exceedingly diverting in any ordinary gath- 
ering of merrymakers. 

1. To put one hand where the other hand can- 
not p>ossihly touch it. — Grasp the right elbow with 
the left hand. 

2. To laugh in one corner^ cry in another^ 



HOME GAMES 185 

dance in another and sing in another. — Not diffi- 
cult, but exceedingly amusing. 

3. To kiss the candlestick, — This is some- 
times performed by inducing a young lady to 
hold the candlestick, and then by mistake kissing 
her. 

4. To act the Knight of the Rueful Countenance. 
— The victim takes a candle \\i hand, and having 
selected a Squire, they perambulate the room 
together, the Squire kissing the hand (or, if per- 
mitted, the cheek) of each lady in succession, and 
after each salute carefully wiping the Knight's 
mouth with a handkerchief, the Knight looking 
as cheerful as he may under the circumstances. 
This forfeit is sometimes known as the " Trip to 
Corinth." 

5. The jotcrney to Rome. — The victim in this 
case is supposed to be dispatched upon a mission 
to the Eternal City, but before departure he is re- 
quired to go to each person in the room in succes- 
sion, and ask if he has anything to send to His 
Holiness the Pope. Each entrusts him with 
something, the more cumbrous the better. When 
fully loaded, he completes his penance by carrying 
every article named out of the room. 

6. To sjpell Constantinople. — This is a mere 



186 HOME GAMES 



trap to catch the unwary. The offender is re- 
quired to spell Constantinople, He begins, and is 
allowed to get safely as far as Constantly when 
there is a general cry of " ?i^," meaning the next 
syllable. If the victim knows the trick, he spells 
calmly on and is free, but if he is not in the 
secret, he naturally believes that he has made 
some mistake, and begins again, only to be greeted 
by the shout of '' no " once more at the same 
point. If at all nervous, he will very probably 
lose his head altogether, and get into a condition 
of mental chaos at his (supposed) repeated 
mistakes. 

7. The three salutes. — The victim is required 
to kneel to the prettiest, boAv to the wittiest, and 
kiss the one he loves the best. This may either 
be fulfilled literally, according to the gentleman's 
own notion of the comparative merits of the 
ladies present, or evaded, after the manner indi- 
cated in the next forfeit. 

8. To hiss the lady you love hest without any 
one hnowing it, — This is performed by kissing 
each lady in turn, the* favorite being thus effec- 
tually concealed. 

9. To kiss your own shadoio, — The uninitiated 
understand this in a literal sense, but the better 



I 



HOME GAMES 187 

infornied victim places himself between a lady 
and the light, and tenderly salutes her. 

10. To sit %i][>on the fire. — This somewhat un- 
pleasant penalty is usually evaded by writing " the 
fire " on a small piece of paper, and sitting on it. 

11. To leave the room with two legs^ and 
come in vnth six, — This is performed by leaving 
the room, and, on your return, bringing in a chair 
with you. 

12. To perform the egotist, — The victim is re- 
quired to propose his own health in a flowery 
speech, and to sing the musical honors as a solo. 

13. To place three chairs in a tou\ tahe off 
your shoes^ and jump over themu — It is not always 
at once perceived that it is the shoes, and not the 
chairs, that the victim is required to jump over. 

14. To lite an inch off the poher. — This is a 
penalty of a similar character, being performed by 
holding the end of the poker about an inch from 
the face, and making a bite at it. 

15. To hlow a candle out hlindfold. — This is 
an admirable penance. The victim, having been 
shown the position of the candle, is securely blind- 
folded, and after having been turned round once 
or twice, is requested to go and blow it out. The 
cautious manner in which the victim will en- 



188 HOME GAMES 

deavor to blow out the clock on the mantelpiece, j 
or to cool an old gentleman's bald head, while the J 
candle is burning serenely a few feet behind him, I 
must be seen to be appreciated. 

16. To ask a question lohich cannot he answered 
in the negative. — This forfeit, if the secret is not 
known, will give the victim some trouble. The 
mystic question is, '' What does y-e-s spell ? " ^| 

17. The three questions. — The victim is re- 
quired to leave the room. Three questions are 
agreed on in his absence, and he is required to 
say " Yes " or " No " to each, without knowing 
what the questions are; the result being, fre- 
quently, that he finds he has made some ignomin- 
ious admission, has declined something that he 
would be very glad to have, or accepted something 
that he would much rather be without. 

18. To kiss a hook inside and outside withottt 
opening it. — This apparent impossibility is solved 
by kissing the book first in the room, and then 
taking it outside the door and kissing it again. 

19. To take a person ttp-stairs., and hring him 
down upon a feather. — This is an evasion of a 
similar character. The heaviest person in the 
room is generally selected as the person to be 
taken up-stairs, in order to heighten the apparent 



HOME GAMES 189 

difficulty ; which, however, is solved by bringing 
the person a soft feather, which, being covered 
with down, you may be truthfully said to have 
brought him " down upon a feather." 

20. To place a strmv (or other small article) 
on the ground in such manner that no one present 
canjuinjp over i?^.— This is done by placing it close 
against the wall. 

21. To act living statues, — The victim stands 
on a chair and is posed by the members of the 
company in succession, according to their various 
(and sometimes decidedly original) conceptions of 
Greek art. For example, a fat man standing on a 
chair and brandishing the fire shovel at the lamp 
makes an " Ajax defying the Lightning," which 
is worth contemplating. 

22. To shake a coin off the forehead, — This 
may be made productive of much amusement. 
The leader, having previously wetted a coin, 
presses it firmly for several seconds against the 
forehead of the victim. Then he withdraws his 
thumb ; he also secretly brings away the coin, but 
the victim invariably believes that he can feel it 
still sticking to his forehead, and his head-shak- 
ings and facial contortions, in order to get rid of 
his imaginary burden, are frequently very ludi- 



190 HOME GAMES 



11 



crous. It is, of course, understood that he is not 
allowed to touch his forehead with his hands. 

23. The German hand, — This is a joint forfeil^ 
for three or four players, each of whom is assigned 
some imaginary instrument and required to per- 
sonate a performer in a German band, imitating 
not only the actions of the player, but the sound 
of the instrument. 

24. To imitate a donhey. — This will, of course, 
depend on natural capacity. 

The above list might be expanded to an almost 
unlimited extent, but the specimens given will, we 
trust, be sufficient to indicate to the reader the 
various kinds of penalties which are generally re- 
garded as appropriate, and to stimulate his imagi- 
nation to the invention of new ones. 

25. To mahe a declaration of love in verse. — 
The gentleman condemned to this penalty must 
place himself upon his knees before the lady who 
is pointed out to him, or whom he loves the best, 
and declare his passion for her in impromptu 
verse. 

Example 

In spite of your coldness 

I love you, my dear ; 
If love is a crime. 

See the guilty one here. 



HOME GAMES 191 

26. To hecome the spirit of contradiction, — 
Whatever tasks may be imposed by each member 
of the company, the person condemned to act 
under the influence of the spirit of contradiction 
has, of course, to do precisely opposite to what she 
is desired. 

27. To make alphabetical compliments, — Make 
a short speech in Avhich every word begins with 
the same letter. For instance : — " I admire and 
adore above anything Annie Austin's amiability 
and activity. Am I absurdly ambitious, after an 
absence absolutely abhorrent, abridging awhile 
all attempts at avowal, anticipating an agreeable 
answer ? " 

28. To repeat the three hrave maids three 
times, — " As I walked in the garden I saw three 
brave maids, seated on three broad beds, braiding 
broad braids. I said unto these three brave 
maids, seated on three broad beds, braiding broad 
braids, 'Braid broad braids, brave maids.' " 

29. To repeat the following story without a 
mistake, — "A tall girl named Short, long loved 
a big Mr. Little ; while Little, little thinking of 
Short, loved a little lass named Long. To make 
a long story short. Little proposed to Long, and 
Short longed to be even with Little's shortcom- 



192 HOME GAMES 

ings. So Short, meeting Long, threatened to 
marry Little before long, which caused Little in 
a short time to marry Long." 

30. To repeat Bob Rowley, — Kepeat the fol- 
lowing : 

^' Eobert Eowley rolled a round roll round ; 
A round roll Eobert Eowley rolled round ; 
Where is the round roll Eobert Eowley rolled 
round"?'' 

31. To stoop to Gonqxier. — Crawl round the 
room on all fours forward. Your forfeit shall 
then be laid upon the floor, and you must crawl 
backward to it, without seeing where it is placed. 

32. To dance the hlind quadrille, — This is 
performed when a great number of forfeits are to 
be disposed of. A quadrille (or portion of one) is 
danced by eight of the company with their eyes 
blindfolded, and as they are certain to become 
completely bewildered during the figures, it 
ahvays affords infinite -amusement to the spec- 
tators. 

33. To give poetic numbers. — Repeat a pas- 
sage of poetry, counting the words aloud as you 
proceed, thus: 

"Full (one) many (two) a (three) flower (four) 



HOME GAMES 193 

is (five) born (six) to (seven) blush (eight) unseen 
(nine) and (ten) waste (eleven) its (twelve) sweet- 
ness (thirteen) on (fourteen) the (fifteen) desert 
(sixteen) air (seventeen) ! " This will prove a 
great puzzle to many, and afford considerable 
amusement. 

34. To rejpeat " Bandy-legged Boracliio " witJi- 
out stopping. — ^^ Bandy-legged Boracliio Mus- 
tachio Whiskerjusticus the bold and brave Bom- 
baretino of Bagdad helped Abomilique Bluebeard 
Bashaw of Barbad Mandab to bed down a Bumble 
Bee at Belsore." 

35. To do the imitation. — If a gentleman, he 
must put on a lady's bonnet, and imitate the voice 
of the lady to whom it belongs ; if a lady, then 
a gentleman's hat, etc. Sometimes these imita- 
tions are very humorous. A sentence often used 
by the person imitated should be chosen. 

36. Stand m the cornier till some one prevails 
on yon to come ont., though all your answers must 
he ''iV^6>." — The dialogue may be something to 
this effect : — ^' Will you come out of the corner ? " 
"I^To." "Is it tiresome to you?" "No." "Shall 
I pull you out ? " " No." " Will you stay an- 
other instant ? " " No." This answer implies a 
consent to quit the corner, so you are led out. 



194 homp: games 

37. To ho]) on one foot twice round the room, 

38. To he a statesman, — Ask the penitent what 
county he would like to represent in the Legisla- 
ture : when the selection is made, he is to spell its l| 
name backward, without a mistake ; if he fail, he 
knows not the requirements of his constituents, 
and must lose his election. 

39. Repeat five times rajndly^ " Villy Vite and 
his Vlfe vent to Yinsor and Vest Vickham von 

Vitsun Vednesday,'^^ 

40. To ansioev a riddle or give a conundrum, 

41. To say five flattering things to one of the 
opposite sex loithoiit making use of the letter L 

42. To say alond : 

" I am a goose, as I confess, 
So return my forfeit, you can't do less." 

43. To kneel hefore the person holding the\ 
pledges^ and say : 

'^1 call myself a dunce, and in public own myj 

shame, 
For not rising up at once, when you called me by { 

name ; 
I'll try to be more careful, the next game that I 

shall play, 
So give me back my forfeit, for P ve nothing more 

to say.'' 



I 



HOME GAMES 195 

44. To sing a medley. — Sing one line of four 
different songs without pausing between them. 
The lines should be chosen with a view to their 
humor, rather than their harmony. 

45. The egotist. — Propose your own health in 
a complimentary speech. 

46. To hiss nun-fashion. — Kissing through the 
bars at a back of the chair. 

47. To rejpeat six times loithoiit a mistake. — 
A lump of rough, light, red leather, a red light, 
rough leather lump. 

48. To act the mute. — Every one present (unless 
there are a great many, then name how many) is 
at liberty to impose a task on this much-enduring 
forfeit ; each of which he is to perform with the 
utmost gravity, and without betraying any emo- 
tion whatever, no matter how ridiculous the duty 
may be. The company meanwhile will do their 
best to make him either speak or laugh, neither of 
which he must on any account do. 

49. To enact the Grecian statue. — Stand on a 
chair, while any of the company i[n^j pose you as 
they think proper, and great ingenuity may be 
displayed in inventing ridiculous postures. 

50. Push your friend's head through a ring. — 
This is managed by putting your finger through a 



196 HOME GAMES 

ring, and pushing your friend's head with the tipl 
of it. 

51. Repeat the following without a hlunder : 

'^ Oliver Ogilvie ogled an olive and oyster. 
Did Oliver Ogilvie ogle an olive and oyster? 
If Oliver Ogilvie ogled an olive and oyster, 
Where is the olive and oyster Oliver Ogilvie 
ogled r' 



I 



52. The dumh orator, {A double forfeit}) — 
This is another ordeal by which two persons may 
recover their forfeits. One of them is to speak 
Avithout moving, and the other is to gesticulated 
without speaking. No. 1 takes up a position in 
the middle of the room, and No. 2 stands behind 
No. 1, or, if the latter should be too tall, and 
thereby conceal No. 2, he kneels. He is to beA 
wrapped in a cloak or shawl, so that his arms be 
confined. He will then recite a speech, which he 
may have either committed to memory, or, if he 
is gifted in that way, he may improvise it. No. 2 
meanwhile gives the action which No. 1 Would 
have used were he at liberty to do so. The more 
ridiculous and broad caricature the action can be 
made, the better, more particularly if the speech 
should be of a stiltified character. It also pro- 



HOME GAMES 197 

vokes a good laugh if the person gesticulating 
wipes the speaker's nose, mouth, etc., with a pocket 
handkerchief. 

53. Hobsoiih choice. — The debtor is blindfolded 
and seated on a chair. The operator, holding a 
cork burnt at one end, asks him which end he 
will have rubbed to his face. He may say 
'' Neither," but the rejoinder will be ''' Hobson's 
choice ; you must say which." The other, seeing 
there is no alternative, either makes a choice or 
says he doesn't care; but that will not do, he 
must put his finger on the end he selects, and trust 
to his luck as to whether his face is blackened or 
not. This is a gentleman's forfeit only. 
.-> 54. Stand in the middle of the rooon and draw 
a line round you that you cannot get out of with- 
out talcing your coat off, — Draw the line round 
your coat. 

55. To rejjeat three times without a mistake : 

^^ David Daldrom dreamt he drove a dragon. 
Did David Daldrom dream he drove a dragon! 
If David Daldrom dreamt he drove a dragon, 
Where's the dragon David Daldrom dreamt he 
drove!" 

56. To act the part of a dumb servant, — To act 
this, the one who owns the forfeit must (if a lady) 



198 HOME GAMES 






apply to a gentleman for a place ; the gentleman 
then asks her six questions, such as these : — How 
do you wash ? — How do you sew ? — How do you 
clean boots ? — How do you iron ? etc., etc. All 
these questions must be answered by the lady 
by dumb motions, which of course cause great 
laughter. 

If the forfeit is for a gentleman, he must apply 
to a lady, and of course the lady varies her ques- 
tions to make them applicable to the duties of a 
man-servant. 

57. To put a candle in such cc place that all i?i 
the room hut yourself can see it. — This is done by 
placing the candle on your head. M 

58. Count twenty hadiward, ™ 

59. To say " Quizzical Quiz^ kiss me quich " 
six times in succession icithout drawing hreath. 

60. To lay a sheet of neiospaper dovm and 
place two persons on it in such a way that they 
cannot touch each other with their hands. — This 
must be done by putting the newspaper on the 
floor, half inside the door, and half outside ; then, 
if you put one person on the end of the newspaper 
outside the door, and shut the door, and put the 
other person on the inside half, they cannot touch 
each other. 



HOME GAMES 199 

Sometimes the performer is told to '' scramble 
like an Qgg^''^ " develop like a film," or " grow like 
a weed " — in which case he uses his own ingenuity 
in accomplishing the required task. 



311-77-3 



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